FINCHforum

My YH.LB.YB female, nesting now, has a red/orange beak.
My BH.WB.G/BB had a black beak when she was breeding.
I assume a RH (which I don't have) would have a black beak.
Would a yellow head or body always have a red/orange beak?
In other words, are there hard & fast rules to breeding beak color related to the color of the hen?
What about cocks?

YH will always have the pink/orange/red beak when in breeding condition. In hens the whole beak needs to be colored before she is in breeding condition. YH cocks get orange/yellow beaks but instead of the whole beak becoming colored, they just look like they are wearing lipstick and did a really bad job putting it on.

BH hens beaks will turn all black when they are in condition where as BH cocks stay normal looking.

RH cocks and hens are the same as YH, the only difference is that their beaks turn more red.

Another little tip I learned from Tiffany - the cock's tail will have 2 longer wire-like feathers that stick out when they are in breeding condition. I'm not positive, but my some of my hens also get this, but the feathers don't stick out quite as long as the males. Depending on the mutations you have, I think some of the birds cannot produce pigment in their beaks so the tail test is the best indication.

thanks for the great answers