Dingo

sounds like normal nesting behaviour to me, I'd expect you should have eggs in a maybe a week. are you sure it's a 'tiel box? they are usually about 10in. x10in. or something like that, if it's 3 feet tall that sounds more like a macaw box!

I think I may have been wrong about #2's sex, in the past couple of days she's developed little grey patches on her shoulders, so looks like she may just be a pied male. #1''s getting pin feathers, almost looks like he's going to have a mostly white tail with a couple of blue feathers, I'll know for sure in a few days though. the other 2 are starting to get downy, #4's eyes opened today, neither of them have any grey patches of black dots yet, #3 is a week and a day old #4 is a week old today.

I wouldn't consider it genetic untill it happens twice from the same pair, could just be it didn't develope whie in the egg, things like that can happen. because it's only one digit missing I wouldn't worry about perching, the little one should do fine, he'll just be unique. are his other toes placed right?

I say, grey greywing opaline spangle, pretty bird, I haven't any idea what the cinnamon dimples in the mask mean.

gorgeous babies hard to imagine thats what mine will look like in 2 1/2 weeks.. just without the poofy hair any chance the finch eggs are fertile? I think the cock must have been opaline or hiding opaline in his genes.

some more from a few days ago. in this picture the oldest is 6 days old and the youngest is one day old, thats the youngest on the oldest ones head. and just the oldest again at 6 days old with #2's head under his and #4 on his back.

here they are! Number Four at 2 days old; Number One at 8 days old; All four of em.. they're all there somewhere Number one will be 2 weeks old on the 27th

I'd say "he's" a She, my vote says opaline cinnamon(you said the wing bars are brown), as for the body color I haven't any clue. pretty bird though.

unfortunatly I dont have a digital camera, I've been taking pics of them with my film camera and will post the pics as soon as I get them developed.. which will hopefully be in a few days.

looks light green spangle to me, but it's hard to tell with that picture, can you get a picture of his back?

is your oldest standing yet? mine started yesterday to really hold his head up, looks like a little bald turkey

feathers are starting to become quite visable on the older chicks, #1 my apparent only male from the clutch, might be pied, he has a bare bar across the back of his head(no dots), but the wings haven't feathered yet so I can't say for sure, #2 the little hen is looking like she might be a white bird.. I see no color at all in the pins just white, she's not albino since her eyes are not red, the other 2 are still to young to say for sure but it's looking like #3 is also a hen.

is there any way I can get her to feed him crop milk? I do have hand feeding formula on hand so if I have to feed any of them I can, fostering isn't an option as she's my only breeding hen right now. I would have to pull the chick for a few hours if I wanted to try to do feedings, she's been keeping all of their crops quite full. #4 is 3 days old today.

she fed him shortly after I posted, his crop is no longer hard though so I'm assuming all is fine, he's still acting alright, I'll keep an eye on him though.

I've been handling everyone of my four since day one, yours hatched about the same time mine did, my first is one week old today and starting to fluff up. I say go for it as long as there are no bad cold drafts and make sure your hands are clean. and hens really do get use to it, though my male still clicks and screaches at me when I hold the chicks.

I checked the chicks and made sure everyone was doing okay, when I checked #4 to make sure he was being fed I felt his crop as I usually do and it's hard, not rock hard but very firm, should I pull him for an hour and let him try to digest it before she feeds him again, or will he be fine?

wish we could get stuff like that off ebay here in the states nice find

they're all being fed so far, the scratch that #2 had on her has healed and is gone now, and the bruise on #1 has completely gone away as well and his eyes have opened!

I just brought #4 into the world, I went to make sure the other 3 were being fed and there he was almost completely out of his shell, all I had to do was lift the top peice and out he came :budgiedance: going by what nerwen said about the dots, #1 is male and I am leaning toward female with #2 as she hasn't gotten any black dots as of yet, she will be a week old on the 21st. I'm wanting to keep a female from thie pairing so #2 may just be staying with me. I'm open for names for the first two if anyone's got suggestions, when I know exactly what mutations they are I will post, pics will have to wait as I dont have a digital camera.

alright, Thanks!

I saw your post about black dots on young chicks backs and you said that opalines dont get them, at what age do they usuallt show up on normals? my oldest little one is about 3 days old now, the sire to the brood is opaline.

thanks cosmo, #2 hatched late last night about 11PM EST, they've been feeding him real well. number 1 chick had a bruise on his neck yesterday but thats already going away. so far they both seem very strong and healthy, and they dont hesitate to voice their opinions when Sweetpea is rolling the eggs I checked the eggs a few hours ago and #3 has cracked the egg. I'm suprised at how fast they are coming into this world.. #1 hatched early morning on the 13th, #2 hatched late night on the 14th, #3 may just be here by morning, and #4 has already piped the air cell. I think someone was a little too rough with #2 today as he had a scratch on his chest, appeared to have bled a little but seems okay now, but I'll certainly be watching him, anything I can put on him to keep from infection?

I know exactly how you feel, I have a little one in the box and another one that externally piped today, and he's already announcing himself to the world, good luck with your little one(s), hope all the eggs hatch for ya and give you nice healthy strong chicks. :bluebudgie:

we've got one baby, s/he hatched early this AM, #2 has already cracked his egg so with any luck s/he'll be here tomorrow morning as well. #1 seems very strong, I haven't found it on it's back yet, squeels whenever I touch it or move an egg, and they've been feeding it throught the day, Boidies such a proud father he spent the entire morning in the box with his little family. one question, Nerwen I saw your post about the black dots on a chicks back and how opalines don't get them, at what age do the dots usually form?

I'm coming down with a cold and I have the first of 4 eggs due to hatch tomorrow, are there any precautions I should take when I check the chick other than just washing my hands?