sexing juvenille RF Parrotfinches

[mr.fox]

Howdy all. Got a couple of young red faced that I bred about 2 months ago. Just wondering at what stage they could be sexed accurately at? The bird I suspect of being the cock is showing heaps of red breaking through on the face and bib. The other is still virtually uncoloured. Fingers crossed they are another true pair.

[Finchman]

Sounds like you may have one of each,time will tell.

[mr.fox]

what age will these guys breed from?

[Matt]

Parrot finches are able to breed very young. Most people will probable say 12 months but I don't have any problems with pairing them at 8-9 months old.

[shox]

Sounds like you have a pair, you can catch check out the vent area, males have some red females rarely do. Also the tail feathers are slightly longer in the male

[mr.fox]

thanks..looks like I have some waiting to do. The parent birds are rearing chicks again so even if this first batch turn out cock birds, I should end up with some young pairs next year.
Noticed today that the bird I thought was female is now just as well coloured as it's sibling, so will try to catch them up at some stage and have a closer look

[MadHatter]

I hope you are not intending to breed from sibling pairs?

[finchbreeder]

Probably thinking that if you have pairs, it is easier to swap sexs with someone else?
LML

[mr.fox]

At this stage I'm just trying to get their numbers up. Hopefully, this bloodline is free of Sea-green or pied blood. I HATE mutations!!! To test for splits etc. I may mate sibling to sibling or parent-offspring. Then if all's well maybe swap some with a few blokes I know who have the PURE ones. I searched long and hard over here for someone that I could be pretty sure had pure normal Redface.

[Jayburd]

haha you sound like a friend of mine, Graham in my finch club
don't ever speak to him about mutations - otherwise be prepared to sit there for a half - hour rant
He's right I guess, but there are some that are nice (in my eyes anyway)