Cockatiel breeding - help !

[hetswe]

Today was the big day! the first baby has hatched! I went to check on them and found the ugly little pink thing hanging out in the nest, so I've just left them alone and made sure they've had plenty of food and water.

 

[Zara]

ugly little pink thing

Today was the big day! the first baby has hatched!

Congratulations

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Congrats.

 

[hetswe]

Okay so just a little update. Only two of the four eggs hatched which was a bit disappointing but I was still very happy about the two new babies. They’re around three weeks old, they’re very cute and their coloured feathers have come through!

 

[hetswe]

The older one is on the bottom and his feathers are turning out to be the pearl mutation, and I was expecting the younger one to turn out just grey but then the yellow appeared - any ideas what mutation he might be?

 

[Monica]

I suspect the younger chick is probably pearl pied.

Mom is a pearl, so you wont know the sex of the chicks based on their mutations. I don't think you've shared photos of the dad or said what mutation he has, but he's either a pearl as well, or split pearl. Both parents are split pied at least, unless dad is also pied?

 

[hetswe]

These are the parents, the mum is pearl, she had a pearl brother and normal grey sister. And the dad is normal grey and I don’t know much about his family.

 

[hetswe]

Here’s a better picture of mum

 

[hetswe]

And there’s the dad

 

[Monica]

I imagine dad is actually a pearl, not a normal grey. He has ghost pearls. Now, in order to confirm if he's pearl or split pearl, would need to know what the base of his tail feathers look like - which is hard to get pictures of. He would be grey if his feathers are solid grey to the base. Pearl if he has yellow mottling at the base of his tail feathers.

 

[hetswe]

Thank you for all this help by the way

 

[Monica]

As much as I enjoy this butt picture of your two tiels (gah! her eyes! adorable!), I don't believe the picture is good enough!

I do have a pearl male, perhaps I can manage to get a photo so you can see what to look for. (hopefully within next 24 hours?) Molted tail feathers are easier than handling him if you have had any from him.

 

[hetswe]

Hahaha well if it helps, I can confidently tell you that the only yellow on his entire body is on his head and a slight yellow tint to the far edge of his wings. It’s interesting that since you’ve told me that he has ghost pearls, I’m only now noticing the faded white spots on his back!
Very interesting to find out this stuff!

 

[Monica]

Got some photos! Not the best but hopefully clear enough! A cockatiel breeder that *loves* normal greys and has been breeding for 30 some years *swears* this guy is a normal grey, but she doesn't know how to determine if a male is a grey or a pearl. If you know what to look for, it's quite easy! If you don't, it's harder to see.

This guy is a pearl split pied. He has the ghost pearls on his back, particularly near the white patch at the end. Even a split pearl male will have these 'ghost' pearls.



Here's why I said that butt shot isn't a good image! You can't see what I'm talking about on this guy, either...




Spread out his tail feathers (well, the right side of them...) and this is a top view... but near the base, you can see some yellow mottling. (doesn't exactly look yellow in the image...) A normal grey will have solid grey tail feathers. A normal grey split pearl will also have solid tail feathers. This is how you tell a pearl from split pearl.







This guy (since passed) was split pearl. His pearls weren't quite as clear as the guy above. (still hard to see if you don't know what to look for! harder on him!)

 

[Fergus Mom]

First one sure is cute!

 

[hetswe]

Ohhh I get you now there is a little bit of yellow

 

[Monica]

Confirms my suspicions because he has very visible ghost pearls! He is indeed a pearl! So all offspring will be pearl. Both parents must be split pied, hence the pearl pied chick. Would be great to see further pictures as the chicks continue to grow!

 

[hetswe]

Wow very interesting! Thanks!

 

[hetswe]

So here’s the babies who are at around four weeks old now, (the older one is the first pic and the younger one is on the bottom) they’re getting cuter every day ! I’ve named the older one Donnie and the younger one Ducky

 

[Monica]

I'm honestly starting to question if the youngest chick is even pied... (wondered before but now really doubting it!) that one kind of looks like a heavy pearl rather than pied! Will be interesting to see how this little one continues to feather out!