FINCHforum

We have 2 little Zebra hatchlings, one hatched Friday, the other Saturday. The only two survivors of 4 eggs laid, which is ok with us since this is the first clutch of fertile eggs and the first attempt at parenting. The other two eggs just never hatched even tho they started out to be fertile.

The parents are absolutely devoted to the little chicklets and their little crops are full and they seem to already be growing. One of them is a very dark grey color, and the other is pretty pink looking. The momma is white, but the papa is a normal zebra. Do you think we have one of each color? I have no idea what genes the parents posess, but any guesses?

Also, When do the babies beg outloud? It's hard to even imagine something that tiny being capable of making noise, but I'm looking forward to it

I believe the dark chick will be a normal grey and the pinkish one will be white like the hen.

If I remember correctly, it was about day five that I heard begging sounds coming from the zebs nest. But with only two chicks it will be faint at first so you may not notice unless you listening very carefully.

you will soon know when they get older,the noise gets louder and louder as the days go by and when they come out of the nest the young throw themselves all over the place in an effort to get fed by the adults

ken

Thanks for the replies The babies are really growing! I work out of town for at least 3 or 4 days at a time and I have been gone since Monday and just returned this evening. Of course the first thing I did was go to peek in on the little ones. They are about 3 times bigger than they were Monday, and now they both appear to be developing dark pinfeathers. One is a week old today and the other will be a week old tomorrow. They were laying in the nest trying to sleep off big crops full of food. I could actually see the seed thru their skin. This is all so exciting! One of our other pair of Zebs are sitting on a clutch of 4 fertile eggs, so there is something else to look forward to. Still haven't heard the babies begging, but with crops full like they were I don't blame them, LOL.

Sounds like your zebs are being great parents - that's wonderful!!

Hilary

They are being great, Ralph is kind of mean to Alice tho, grr. The babies, well at least one of them, had their eyes open last nite They are so darn cute! The pink one of the two has dark looking feathers coming in now, but it's skin is still darker than it's sibling, might it be a fawn? Could it still end up being white? I know it's hard to tell when I don't know the background of the parents.