White On Baby GCC?

[Radford Roost]

Hello! My feathered pets of a few years decided to have some babies. The male is a normal Green-cheeked Conure and the female is a yellow-sided. They currently have 3 babies, the eldest being 3 weeks, the second 2.5 weeks, and the youngest 2 weeks. All three of the babies appear to be developing features that define them as normals (Dark feet, dark beak, grey down), but it seems each of the chicks has some kind of white feature. The eldest baby has pure white down feathers of the front edge of its wings, instead of gray, and a white patch in a couple of its toes. The middle baby has white down on the base of its neck and wings. The youngest baby has a white toenail. The parents are being fed Zupreem pellets as the base, with daily fruits and vegetables. However, there is a couple things that I find odd. The male has an orange feather on each shoulder, and a small white patch on the underside of the front edge. The female also has some white on the underwing. Is there any explanation for the white on the chicks? Genetics? Vitamin Deficiency? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[expressmailtome]

Bump.

 

[katebf38]

Curious about what the experienced people here will have to say. Can you post pictures?

 

[SandraK]

Hi and welcome to AA! Is there any chance you could post some baby photos as well as mom & dad? I'm wondering if what you're seeing might not be a throwback to something in the parents' background or breeding. @Monica @webchirp ?

 

[Radford Roost]

Of course, it is very possible I'm just overlooking that this could be normal, but I'm still suspicious... Now that I look more closely, this is probably nothing, but I guess i'll see!

 

[Monica]

One chick might be a yellowsided. Best to wait until the chicks feather out more.

 

[webchirp]

The circle on the normal green looks like something that happens from a split in their background. The chicks are considered split because one is "normal" green and one is yellow sided. You will generally see spots of color on split babies that you wouldn't see if they were truly all normals in the genes.

As for the fuzzy babies, not sure until their feathers all grow in. I've not had wee babies.

 

[SandraK]

I think it was @Monica who spotted some different wing markings on my gccs when she recently saw some. But the white fuzzy down will change and you'll never know what you really have until they're completely feathered.

 

[Radford Roost]

Thank you for all the input! I will post more pictures when they develop a bit more.

 

[Radford Roost]

Some pictures 1 week later: Eldest 4 weeks, middle 3.5, youngest 3.

Feathers are just starting to come in on the front of the eldest baby. A lime green-ish color on under the wing, and a super pale yellow right under the head. By the way it looks, the eldest is a toss up between normal and yellow sided.

 

[janicedyh]

Oh my goodness! Super cuties

 

[SandraK]

Squeeee!

 

[Monica]

Thinking all three could be yellowsides.

 

[Radford Roost]

That would be great! They seem healthy and well taken care of by the parents! We will find out!

 

[SandraK]

They seem to be a good size pretty equal in size too though the feather development is a give-away on who is younger (usually).

Where do you live? I'm beginning to feel a birdnapping desire coming on ....

 

[Radford Roost]

I live in NE Oklahoma

 

[Radford Roost]

Update: The three all look to be normals. Interestingly, the older two appear to have a pale yellow instead of a grey-ish yellow on their breast like their dad. While the eldest has none, the middle chick has 3 or 4 yellow feathers coming in on the left shoulder and a couple on the right, more than the dad, who only has one on each shoulder. They have a little red coloration on their rump feathers, like the mom. It is very interesting how the chicks inherited different things from different parents. Red rump from mom, yellow shoulder feathers from dad, and the red on the belly is barely existent just like dad. Because any male offspring from this cross would be split to yellow sided, I almost wonder if the middle chick, having more yellow, is a male and is slightly expressing the trait? We will find out! I have got to do a DNA test soon!

 

[Monica]

More pictures of the chicks???