PENGUIN CHICKS PEEKING OUT!

[cindy]

One little one fledged today...looks like a male since it looks normal, there are actually 3 that look like normals except the tail feathers give them away. As they molt they will loose the tear drop line and the cheeks will turn orange.

Now much to my surprise I think there is a female in there...her cheeks are outlined in white with a silver patch in the center. Here are three shots of her.

Notice the very white chest on her, she looks like her mom! Her silver cheek will eventually fade to bright white.

[cindy]

Tail feathers, the ones in the center are the females....the fourth chick is not in the box, he is out with dad.

[nixity]

Such cute little squishy faces

[Vargur]

Lucky you Cindy! Congrats
I would love to have a penguin zebra!

[cindy]

Thank you Vargur...I have three pairs set up, two of the pairs are a little slow to start but this air have given me all boys three times (2 the first clutch and 1 the last clutch). This is the biggest clutch of chicks so far. there were 6 but two were so somall they did not survive past the first nest check when all looked strong.

[annague]

Such adorable little cuties!

[lovemyfinch]

Little cutie pies for sure Cindy

[cindy]

Thank you Anna and Janine...the parents are the ones of the lone penguin baby I fed out with the owl. Everytime the babies fledge the mom chances them, dad plucks the feathers out some of the tail feathers. The parents are very happy to feed them all while in the nest box but I am not sure why when they fledge the parents become so upset they left the box. The little female ventured out and her little frosted top tail feathers are now on the bottom of the cage...she is now back in the box.

I may end up handfeeding them out if this continues....

[6finchfriends]

That is so wonderful! Well, not the feather plucking but the babies are adorable!

[cindy]

Thank you Trish...they are to cute and a little bold to!

[ac12]

Great on your penguins.

I was never able to find more than the one pair that I have. But now, that they mated, I cannot go further w/o inbreeding. So that is as far as I can take mine.

[cindy]

I bought an extra female....you can create a pair by taking a male or female normal or even a fawn and match a penguin with it. Just make sure that whatever you pair a penguin to is not pied or has pied in it's background....it will cause the cheek patches in the male offspring to turn white. Kind of ruins the look of a male penguin.

If you ever find just one penguin at a show...this is how to get started on a second pair. Then once they have offspring keep one and try to find another penguin.

[dfcauley]

Cindy they are just too cute!!!

[cindy]

Thanks Donna, they are fat little things, but so cute and so sweet. The babies are fearless, they actually lean out of the box to see me if I talk to them.

[ac12]

As it turns out, I have to stop breeding my penguins anyway. My gouldians will be taking over their breeding cage. So what I have is where I will stay.