dying feathers

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 2:17 pm

Ok, so I talked with the store I'm going to give the chicks to and they said I have to keep them until all the black is gone from their beaks. Now correct me if I'm wrong... but doesn't that mean they'll be fully mature? If so, I will need to tell the difference b/w Sam and his babies, so I was thinking of using a little blue food dye to dye his chest feathers. I can't find split rings for the babies or else I'd just band them

do you think using the food dye would be harmful?

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:15 am

hi thalia
by the time thier beaks have turned orange you will be able to tell what sax they are going to be because the males will be trying to sing aswell as getting their cheek patches.if i dont have rings to spare i just stretch the wings out on the table and stamp the under feathers of the males with an ink stamp and by the time they are fully mature the ink will have gone

ken

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 10:06 am

Thanks for the idea Kenny, I don't have an ink stamp, but I imagine if that stuff isn't harmful then food dye, which is meant to be eaten anyways, shouldn't hurt. Maybe I'll dye his tail feathers then he may not ingest any when preening. Once it dries it shouldn't come off, I know if you get it on clothing, the table or counter it doesn't like to come off.

Finchlet · Post by **Finchlet** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:28 pm

Just think of the price you could get for a 'fancy' blue zebra!

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:58 pm

LOL well actually we ended up dying his underbelly from his vent back blue so it looks like he's had bad blue diarrhea, he also decided to try to preen right after we finished putting on the dye so he has a beautiful blue beak lol, I'll try to get some pics for you. He is, however very distinguishable from the other birds now lol.