Good News!

Finchlet · Post by **Finchlet** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 4:25 pm

The first baby zebra has hatched! I coundn't get a pic of it because the nest is too deep. But the bad news is, more of that string like nesting material that you guys advised me to remove has surfaced. I think there was some buried in all the other fluff and as they re arranged the nest, more has come to the surface. Do I dare disturb the nest to remove the strings that I can see? This is the first clutch for these two. I think there are 3 more eggs in there. Here's a couple of pics. The first one is an earlier pic of Sierra the hen. (I think I posted it in the gallery.) The second is a currnet pic of the string in the nest.

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:35 pm

Since it is their first clutch and you don't know how they'll react, I'd leave them be for now. If you see that the string is becoming a hazard, (wrapped around any of the chicks, etc.) only then would I risk a nest change.

zookeeper · Post by **zookeeper** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:35 pm

Congrats on your hatchling!

I concur, with this being their first clutch you don't want to disturb the nest.

bluefinch · Post by **bluefinch** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:34 pm

Its always exciting when hatching time comes!

Finchlet · Post by **Finchlet** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:44 pm

I just took the opportunity to peer into the nest again after the dad flew out for his turn free from egg duty. There are two little heads peeking up!
I can't really get a good pic, but if you use your imagination, you can kinda see their fuzzy little bodies next to an egg.....its hard to get the right angle through the bars of the cage. There will be better pics when they get bigger.

Finchlet · Post by **Finchlet** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 2:35 pm

Today I banded the chickies, and we took the opportunity for a quick photo shoot

They should be starting to emerge from the nest in about a week. I really didn't know what to expect as far as coloring goes. I knew one of them was going to be white, because it was pink and not grey like the others. (The mom is white and the dad is grey and came from a dad that produces fawn hens) So the white chick has a spot of fawn in the middle of its back. THe others have greyish fawn feathers ??? and I didn'e examing them all, but one has some random white wing feathers. Interesting...

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:50 pm

eep! they're so cute! I hope yours are a preview of what mine will look like in a few weeks!

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 1:35 am

OH SO SWEET!! CONGRATS!

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:45 am

hi finchlet
with the female bieng white it looks like all the dark ones will be normal pieds and you have one all white which will probably throw back the normal from its dad when its bred with anything...you will be able to sex the normals easy enough but the whites are a bit harder but you already have one white female so if this one has the same colour beak it will be a female but if it is a more coral red colour then it will be a male but i reckon before then they will all have ago at trying to sing while they are bieng weaned

ken

Finchlet · Post by **Finchlet** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:18 pm

Cool, thanks for the genetics info. They are really cute and funny when they are starting to try and sing!

It's just adorable!

Finchlet · Post by **Finchlet** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:55 pm

Well, the first two babies took the plunge and bravely made their way out into the world. Mom and dad hover protectively around them, and they have a bit of flight school left to finish.

Post by **Hilary** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:11 pm

How INCREDIBLY cute and proud they look! They are the funniest things when they're learning to fly!

Finchlet · Post by **Finchlet** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:08 pm

The other babies couldn't contain their curiousity and they decided to come out too. Well, 3 of the 4 for sure. The white one wanted to see what he was missing. What a sweetie. I wish they would stay fearless and cuddly all the time. o-well. It's amazing the difference a few days can make!

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:00 am

hi finchlet
those dark grizzle marks on the back of the wjite ones neck should dissapear as it gets its adult plumage its just a throwback from the normal colour......are they making slightly more noise now in asking their parents for food

ken

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 11:40 am

I'm trying to recall if my white Zebs had yellow legs like yours.

Love when they're in that cute and fluffy stage!