Post subject: Re: What will baby whitefaces look like?
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:04 pm
Site Admin
Name: Carolyn
Posts: 7987 Joined: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Gave happy chirps:201 times Got happy chirps:725 times
Notice how the parent birds don't attack you while the babies are being fed lol.
The whiteface gene takes all the psittacin (yellow pigment) out of the plumage. Cockatiel babies normally have yellow down no matter what color their feathers will be later on, but the whiteface gene gets rid of the yellow so they're left with white (which is what it looks like when there's no pigment).
The whiteface gene doesn't affect melanin, which is the pigment that causes dark coloring. There's no melanin in baby down but there will be melanin in the 'real' feathers that grow later on.
A baby that's dehydrated will have red-looking skin, not pale skin. Your second baby actually does look kind of red but dad is taking care of it and the redness is probably gone by now. The chicks look fine to me!
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Feathers
Post subject: Re: What will baby whitefaces look like?
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:30 pm
Conure
Name: Baruch
Posts: 3718 Joined: Jul 2013 Gave happy chirps:213 times Got happy chirps:246 times
So there are definitely not whiteface, right? Do you see the white feathers on the head or is it just me
tielfan
Post subject: Re: What will baby whitefaces look like?
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:34 pm
Site Admin
Name: Carolyn
Posts: 7987 Joined: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Gave happy chirps:201 times Got happy chirps:725 times
These babies are definitely not whiteface. I can't see much variation in the down color, but any differences that you see are probably due to the down being thicker or thinner in some areas.
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Feathers
Post subject: Re: What will baby whitefaces look like?
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:41 pm
Conure
Name: Baruch
Posts: 3718 Joined: Jul 2013 Gave happy chirps:213 times Got happy chirps:246 times
Thank you! I can't wait until they start feathering up!
tielfan
Post subject: Re: What will baby whitefaces look like?
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:12 pm
Site Admin
Name: Carolyn
Posts: 7987 Joined: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Gave happy chirps:201 times Got happy chirps:725 times
With my chicks, I have a hard time telling the difference between cinnamons and greys based on the color of the pinfeathers - I have to wait until the actual feathers start emerging from the pins to be sure. But if you have a sharper eye you might be able to tell the difference.
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