They can't all be girls! can they?

lisalambourne · Post by **lisalambourne** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:47 pm

Hiya well all 5 of the chicks beaks are colouring out now, and a couple only have small amounts of black left on beak. They have the black bars under the eyes and black bars on tails, but as yet no colouring on bodies, will that take some time yet to come or are all 5 of tham girls?..yes I know a photo would help

just waiting for my usb cable to come in post then can transfur pics from my mobile. any thought welcomed....lisa.......

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 1:23 pm

Well if I recall correctly, the males usually begin showing some color on their cheeks by the time the beaks have changed.

I could be wrong on this, someone with more recent experience will come along and correct me if I am.

lisalambourne · Post by **lisalambourne** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 1:43 pm

so its just watch this space then lol

StevePax · Post by **StevePax** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:25 pm

By the time my zebs had no black left on their beaks, the male had a tiny orange streak on his cheek - not immediately obvious from just looking at the cage, but you had to really look.

However, by then, the male was certainly learning and working on his song. I would think you'd be hearing the male sing by now.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:06 am

hi lisa
i think the males should be showing by now if they have stripes on thier tails..but its quite uncommon to have a nest full of hens i dont know the pairing you have but...penguin zebras have no breast markings and on most no cheek patches so its quite possible you may have a penguin gene in there somewhere ,here is a pic of a pair of poorly marked zebras as most have no breast markings at all

ken

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 10:48 am

Male penguins have cheek patches.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 2:08 pm

yes they ,do but sometimes the cheek patches are the last things to show through

ken

readingfc · Post by **readingfc** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 3:41 pm

My new baby zeb's are just colouring out. The boys (I have 2 of them cos they are trying to sing!) are getting the little spots on their wing feathers. They still have a long way to go with the colour on their beaks yet. Hope this helps......

lisalambourne · Post by **lisalambourne** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:51 pm

Hiya I wouldn't go as far as to say their is singing, but the chirps have certainly changed this last few days, their deffo seems to betwo different sounds comming from them. Does that make any sense, a few weeks ago they all madethe same noise nowthat noise is changing and their seems to be more than one type of noise...lol I will stop now before I try put it another way again and really confuse the situation

. I have normal zebra's pairing, and woudn't have the firat clue about genes...

readingfc · Post by **readingfc** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 4:43 pm

No, I think you're right - I'd describe it as a teenager's voice trying to break - sort of singing but not singing if you know what I mean lol

lisalambourne · Post by **lisalambourne** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 6:00 pm

yer thats exactly how they sound. Ohh 2 of them have started getting very small but deffo there patches of brown with white spots on their sides..hehe looks like there is at least 2 boys in there will see in a few more days if any more start to colour or if its just the two of them. Btw should I be worried.......one of the now identified males is getting very cosy with mum on the perch..now could this just be he's one of the oldest, or maybe a mummies boy or should I be worried no they wouldn't would they......????

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 7:17 pm

At this point he's probably just harmlessly cuddling, but I would not provide the breeding pair a nest or allow them to breed until their current clutch is weaned and out of the cage. It is possible for inbreeding to occur otherwise.

Post by **Hilary** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 9:18 pm

Oh yea, they would....

lisalambourne · Post by **lisalambourne** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 4:02 am

well thats why I worried, there is no breeding pair, Cash has raised her clutch by herself, Tango her partner died 3 days before the first egg was due to hatch. I have her a new mate in quarentine and when she is done with the chicks I will put her in with him. then all in the aviary together

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:25 am

hi all
i have just seen the end of a cramming contest i paired a silver zebra hen to a cfw cock and they had six young so it was 8 in a wicker nest and they were crammed in like sardines up until tuesday when they all burst out like a firework exploding

ken