Zebra Finch:Black Cheek Babies out of NG Parents

[Memsie]

Hello everyone!

I am new to the forum, and honestly finch breeding as well. I've owned 3 pairs of zebra finches in the past, none of which ever successfully produced babies. Then go figure, after years without finches, I decide to get a pair and a few weeks later 4 eggs.

All four hatched and are beginning to fledge (yay!) The first two out of the nest appear to have typical fledgling markings. Then I happened to peer in the nest and catch sight of these two... Black cheeks!

Black Cheek babies

Both Parents appear to be normal grays, though judging by the Hen's tear mark, I think she is split to BC.

My Question is: Do both parents have to be split to BC to produce BC in their young?
Also: Does this mean the other siblings are Split as well?

Jean Ralphio; Father

Mona Lisa, The Mother (She also has some odd barring on her chest)

Thanks!
~Emili

[Sally]

I don't know anything about Zebra genetics, but I wanted to welcome you to the forum! There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on finch care. If you put your general location in your profile, it makes ti easier to answer locale-specific questions later on.

[xz_zebs]

Memsie - black cheek is recessive, so if both parents are split black cheek you can get black cheek offspring. Here is the table:
[tr=text-align:center;][td=border:1px solid #cccccc;][/td][td=border:1px solid #cccccc;]NG[/td][td=border:1px solid #cccccc;]BC[/td][/tr] [tr=text-align:center;][td=border:1px solid #cccccc;]NG[/td][td=border:1px solid #cccccc;]NG/NG[/td][td=border:1px solid #cccccc;]NG/BC[/td][/tr] [tr=text-align:center;][td=border:1px solid #cccccc;]BC[/td][td=border:1px solid #cccccc;]NG/BC[/td][td=border:1px solid #cccccc;]BC/BC[/td][/tr] You can see from the table that this pairing can give you NG split to BC as well as NG so you won't know for sure the genetics of your non-BC chicks. Splits may show larger than normal tears and/or black smudging into the cheek so that can give you a good hint. There is more info here:

http://www.efinch.com/species/bczeb.htm

One thing to note is that it is fairly common for BC zebs to have non-black flanking. It's a color fault, so most pics show BC with matching black flanks, but if your BCs end up being male they may or may not get the black flanks.

[Memsie]

Thank you both so much! I'm trying to keep track of the chick's progress and started reading about genetics. So complicated but I think I'm starting to get the hang of it lol!