Is this possible???

Marianne · Post by **Marianne** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 9:25 am

Hi. As you know, I have three zebra chicks about to fledge any time now...

Everything I've read says that there's no way you can tell what sex the birds are until they have their adult plumage. However, I SWEAR I can see VERY faint tinges of orange (peach?) on the cheeks of at least one of the nestlings. I really don't think I'm imagining this!

Has anyone else been able to see this in nestlings? Or am I nuts?

Marianne · Post by **Marianne** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 9:37 am

Here is a link to a picture:
http://www.finchforum.com/gallery/displ ... p?pos=-159

It doesn't show up well in the photo, but "in person," it is more visible.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 2:41 pm

i think you are right i can see a slight tinge of orange at the bottom near the beak,it does seem a little early as they dont usually colour up until the beak starts to change
ken

tina · Post by **tina** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 8:38 am

On my fledglings the first signs of males started with throat bars on the gray male, and singing with my CFW male, The gray started to show his changes long before his beak changed, and the cheeks did not get color until after his beak started to change. The CFW male has been slower to color up but is turning into a stunning male. His beak actually changed prior to coloring up, so I guess it all depends on the bird. That is what happend with mine.

MadHatter · Post by **MadHatter** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 11:30 pm

I have had similar results quite regularly and what I can tell you is this: You are not imagining things

some male chicks do show a faint hint of male colour right out of the nest. I beleive this trait to be at least partly genetic as I have found it to occurr quite regularly in some pairs' nest and never in others. In my experience these chicks always turn out to be male (ie. i have never seen a chick that showed colour mature into a hen)
On the other hand, not all male chicks show this trait, so it is not a surefire way of sexing all your chicks straight out of the nest...

Marianne · Post by **Marianne** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 3:13 pm

Thanks for all your replies..well, it turns out I was most definitely NOT crazy; ALL three turned out to be males. Now it's confirmed, as their side "spots" are coming in, and their cheeks are more pronounced...then again, there are their adorable, if feeble, attempts at singing.

Very interesting.