Got New Parrot finches and gould guestion

[kcdozy]

I have never had one remove nesting material. If I was you I would remove all nesting material from all nest boxes and let them build where they want. Do you know how old they are?

[carmena]

no idea.

[MLaRue]

I can't say I've seen my hen help with nest building or even take a nest apart - so maybe this is a male

[CandoAviary]

No comment/insight on the beak colors? I was hoping that someone with this much breeding experience with pied parrots would shed some light or thoughts. Thanks anyway

[carmena]

I can't say I've seen my hen help with nest building or even take a nest apart - so maybe this is a male

from your lips to Gods ears.

CandoAviary,are they like societies that the beak can be any mix of color and non color? Like if the cells that produce the green are responsible for the dark beak color and it just so happens that the beak has pigment?

just a guess

[kcdozy]

I forgot to hit the summit tab last night, new at this. When they fledge a pied mandibles will both be yellow a normal only the lower has yellow in it. The normals mandible will eventually turn dark. Pieds can stay yellow turn dark or just have a few spots of lighter color. Pied birds can be as little as 1 toe nail or feather or spot on the mandible. Just remember when they leave the nest and both mandibles are all yellow they are pied. I had one pied that had just a few yellow feathers after it colored out. But after its first adult molt it was 70% pied. They all tend to get more pied with each molt.

[CandoAviary]

Thanks alot for the info. That is exactly what I had thought but so many people tell you so many things that I was questioning that. I do think what also stumped me was that my normal pair that I bought had 3 chicks the first time with upper dark and lower light. I posted pictures and was told that they were pieds.(though I knew they were not) I have talked with others and they said yes...2 tone is pied. Though I see that the wild normals have the 2 tone upon fledging and they sure aren't pieds. Thanks. I wasn't off track as they thought I was

[MLaRue]

Candace,

The breeder that has helped me tremendously regarding the pieds has been doing this for a very long time and is a NFSS member - you might want to bring it up as a topic on NFSS too. But he has said both top and bottom will be pied and so will a bird that has one or the other yellow can be pied. I have some now that have the top and bottom orange turning pied and some that had only the top orange or only bottom orange (born this way has not changed colors yet) showing pied already.

This is why I'm keeping them for now to see what happens over the next molt.

[CandoAviary]

Oh no...I'm confused again

So you have chicks that have both light madibles that are showing pieds and some that have top dark and bottom light showing pied markings?

Did thier beaks change colors from the early photos of the "Elvis" post to fledgling?

Interesting.

[MLaRue]

Me too! I guess time will tell with mine - once and for all

[carmena]

Well, the update is the pied was building a nest with shredded paper.
This AM I found a broken egg on the cage bottom.
I have heard some singing and seen some...well...you know.

So I am assuming its a pair. I am sad about the broken egg (same thing happened with my new Owls which are molting right now. Broken egg on floor.

Not sure what I can do to make them feel more "safe" , the cage is pretty central to occasional activity but I have the cage front covered with lots of fake plants. Do they need plants on the inside of the cage?

If so, any recommendations to safe fake plants. They seem to be made out of all kinds of materials.

[kcdozy]

It is not unusual for younger hens to lay eggs out of the nest. My first year hens lay 10-20% of eggs on the cage floor. They are new to it and accidents happen. When I think they are about to lay I line the bottom of the cage with with some cheap small white towels from costco. If you find one on the towel just place in nest, melon spoon scooper works great for this. After all eggs are laid remove towels. I do not put any plants in or on my cages. Mine are in the garage where there is quit a bit of activity at times. It takes them about 4-6 months for them to get used to it and settle down.

[carmena]

Great Idea. I will place some burp rags on the cage floor "tout suite".