I posted this on the 'Breeders Chat' forum, but haven't had any responses, so I'm trying again here!

 

I think this is a female and is blue series (maybe mauve) - parents are: dark green opaline cock and albino hen

 

 

 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Also, I notice quite regularly people referring to the colour of the middle two pin feathers as an indication of what colour/variety the chick is. Is there anywhere on this site that lists what the different colour pin feathers mean in relation to the various colours/varieties?

Edited October 18, 201014 yr by The Black Doctor

Looks like there is yellow coming through but its about 3 days too early to start seeing easily, especially from photos.

 

on a side note, it might be nice to pick the dried poop clumbs off the nails

Thanks Dean - yes, I though I might get a comment about that, but I removed it after taking the photos!

 

Will post some pics in the next few days when they colour up a bit more.

I thought I was seeing yellow too Dean. White down so is Opaline.

Not blue But hen chick

I thought I was seeing yellow too Dean. White down so is Opaline.

 

I thought I saw yellow too. But I'm on a different computer now and its very very faint... Have no clue with the sex...

Not blue But hen chick

 

Thanks everyone.

 

So, Kax, how do you know it's not blue and what's with the white down = opaline?

 

As I asked previously, is there anywhere I can find out what I need to look for (i.e. colour of down, pin feathers etc.) in order to work out what colour and variety my chicks are?

Not blue But hen chick

 

Thanks everyone.

 

So, Kax, how do you know it's not blue and what's with the white down = opaline?

 

As I asked previously, is there anywhere I can find out what I need to look for (i.e. colour of down, pin feathers etc.) in order to work out what colour and variety my chicks are?

 

Tip of tailfeathers poking out of the feather shaft look dark green to me.

White down on a chick is an early sign of opaline.

 

 

 

Also, I notice quite regularly people referring to the colour of the middle two pin feathers as an indication of what colour/variety the chick is.

 

 

Mostly you can tell a chick will be spangle by the middle two tailpins being clear in comparison to the others.

With some other mutations the colour of the tailpins also shows before anything else what the chick will be.

Thanks Kaz - can you elaborate on which mutations you can identify early on by the colour of the tailpins?

Edited October 19, 201014 yr by The Black Doctor

Took some more photos this afternoon:

 

Oldest chick:

 

 

 

 

 

Second oldest chick:

 

 

 

 

Definitely green series!

 

The next eldest looks blue series, but I didn't get a photo. I also forgot to take a photo of their nostrils to try and guess their sex. Maybe tomorrow if I have time!

Great Photo's Doc! Nice feet too hahaha! Sorry just had to, everyone commented on the feet when they were pooy so I figured I'd comment when they were clean!

LOL - thanks Jimmy! I made sure they were 100% clean of gunk before I took the potos this time!

 

Anyway, I took some more photos this morning and the third chick appears to be green series as well.

 

Anyone want to take a stab at their sex?

 

Chick 1

 

 

 

Chick 2

 

 

 

Chick 3

 

 

 

I'm thinking hen, cock (maybe hen?), hen.

Edited October 20, 201014 yr by The Black Doctor

I'm terrible with sexing so I won't even bother trying but I think your right about the green series...

Anyone want to take a guess?

Anyone want to take a stab at their sex?

 

Chick 1

 

 

This one looks pretty washed out, so hard to tell, but maybe a hen. (And those are really cute pin feathers!)

 

 

 

Chick 2

 

I would guess hen for this one.

 

 

Chick 3

 

Again, pretty washed out, there is some glare, but I would guess hen.

 

I'm thinking hen, cock (maybe hen?), hen. Those are my stabs at it, but I'm not very experienced yet, so don't be surprised if I am wrong!

Thanks Finnie - at least you had a go and we seem to agree, which is good!

Thanks Finnie - at least you had a go and we seem to agree, which is good!

 

You're welcome.

It's been a while since I took any photos, but they're finally here:

 

Chick 1 - I'm guessing dark green opaline hen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chick 2 - I'm guessing olive green opaline hen

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chick 3 - I'm guessing olive green opaline cinnamon hen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chick 4 - I'm guessing olive green opaline hen

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's some group shots:

 

 

 

 

the chicks can not be olive as their tails are black

so this makes them grey green

the first is dark green

as tail is blue

very nice dark green to by way

cute chickys

 

so if mums albino shes masking grey

and dad well hes / cinnamon

 

 

i think youngest is a cock

but i couldbe very off

as seems opaline also if case mum is masking opaline also

Edited October 31, 201014 yr by GenericBlue

They're looking good!

I agree with GB, the mom must have grey factor, and if she' wasn't albino, we could tell whether she was cinnamon or opaline, which would rule out whether the chicks could be boys.

 

When I took my stab at guessing their sexes above, I thought the photos looked a little washed out, which can make cocks look like hens. These new photos are also a little ambiguous, but now I think they could all be cocks. I have had a few chicks that make me change my mind every time I look at them. With those chicks, I have to wait a long time until they sort of settle one way or another. I think your chicks may be that way, too. I am retracting my hen guesses and saying I'm just not sure now. (There seems to be a whole lot of pink going on there, and the only white I see is if I try to imagine the white. Plus, when there is also black on the cere, it messes with my eyes like an optical illusion.)

Thanks guys. So GB, I didn't want any cinnamons or grey greens to start with and now I've got some anyway LOL!

 

That's interesting re: tail colour - another thing I didn't know and now do. Anywhere I can find out which coloured tail feathers = what colour bird?

Okay - I've been very busy and have had computer problems, but finally found some time to get back on here and catch up with all the happenings.

 

So, just to refresh: the dark green opaline cock and the albino hen's first round resulted in 2 grey greens, a dark green and a cinnamon grey green - all opaline. Here's some photos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The same pair have since had another round, which resulted in 3 grey greens and 3 dark greens - all opaline. Here are some photos:

 

 

 

 

 

I therefore believe the cock must be split cinnamon and the hen is masking grey and opaline. As it appears there are no dd dark factor babies (or I guess the grey greens could be?), would it be reasonable to conclude that the hen is also a DD dark factor, or is this too difficult to work out?

 

I assume all the cocks will be split albino and if I breed them to normal hens, any resulting hens would be albino. Also, the cinnamon baby must be a hen.

 

Is this correct?

Edited January 10, 201114 yr by The Black Doctor

I've also just put the following pair into the breeding box - cobalt cock and yellow face grey hen:

 

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb410/stubrady333/2011%20Breeding%20Pairs/ChicolaBubbles.jpg

 

Do you guys think this is a good pairing?

 

 

This violet cobalt opaline hen is almost ready to go down as well:

 

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb410/stubrady333/2011%20Breeding%20Pairs/Violet.jpg

 

 

I am considering putting her with one of these five cock birds:

 

Grey violet dominant pied (these two seem to have paired themselves up and should produce some good violets):

 

 

 

Skyblue dominant pied:

 

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb410/stubrady333/2011%20Breeding%20Pairs/Sky.jpg

 

 

Grey spangle (arguably the best bird I have):

 

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb410/stubrady333/2011%20Breeding%20Pairs/Smog1.jpg

 

 

Skyblue spangle (similar to the one above, but not as good - colouration on head due to a blood feather):

 

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb410/stubrady333/2011%20Breeding%20Pairs/Nibbles.jpg

 

 

Grey Normal (another good bird):

 

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb410/stubrady333/2011%20Breeding%20Pairs/Rocky.jpg

 

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Edited January 13, 201114 yr by Dave_McMinn
Unfortunately you pics, though of lovely birds, were all oversized. 640 x 480 is the maximum.

Just thought I would say those opalines have gorgeous markings! As clear as glass. Your very lucky. As for the violet hen, I think you should put her to the first cock bird.