Just an opinion.

[E Orix]

As headed,just an opinion.
Having virtually nothing left to sell at the Wagga Bird Sale but wanting to at least help I took several pair of
Silver Headed Nuns that had started to colour up. Towards the end I had sold some and there were some left when I was approached
by a guy looking at the birds.When I asked him if he was interested he said no as he had purchased some at the same price as mine fully coloured.
I then asked him the question why did he buy them fully coloured and he said that they would breed now and mine would take a month or so to be fully coloured.
Thats when I started shaking my head and got into a reasonable discussion.I guess he didn't like me calling him mad.
Why did I call him mad, because when you buy fully coloured birds from unknown people you don't know how old they are,if they are burnt out old birds birds that have sat in a collection and not bred for season after season. By buying birds that have started to colour etc you know how old they are and they are not burnt out.
When I looked at his birds that had rough legs with(scales) and long toenails a bad sign,then he looked at mine clean legs short sharp toenails.
I think he realised as he shelled out his money and another two went into his box.
The point I am trying get across is if possible buy young birds every time and in particular Parrot Finches the best coloured ones are most likely the older birds and could be finished as breeders but look a million dollars.It your choice

[Tintola]

Couldn't agree more

[loz]

Some people never learn.

[arthur]

guess he didn't like me calling him mad.

Yeah . . some people are like that

[Jayburd]

Agreed. Although, with some (even dimorphic) species, it's very hard to tell the sexes uncoloured and virtually impossible in a show cage in the mad rush of a sale. I guess it depends on what you're after, and also whether you can afford to buy and house a number of uncoloured birds to get the sexes you want.

[vettepilot_6]

Agreed. Although, with some (even dimorphic) species, it's very hard to tell the sexes uncoloured and virtually impossible in a show cage in the mad rush of a sale. I guess it depends on what you're after, and also whether you can afford to buy and house a number of uncoloured birds to get the sexes you want.

With the hard to sex species I buy a trio....Bought a trio of RFPF 7 weeks ago their bibs are just colouring up now and one is chasing another and mounting it so gather I have a pair no where to breed though as still in cabinet....waiting for aviary.

[gomer]

I know exactly how you feel Eorix.
I have a habit of buying young birds not 100 % coloured for the reasons mentioned.Also I think buying young birds gives them a chance to bond better.They say buying young diamonds this way gives you a better chance of getting breeding prs.Sell your burnt out old birds to people who want them old and want to pay half the price and know the background of them.Or do what i do sell them before they get to that stage and give the buyer a good chance of getting young out of them themselves.

[Jayburd]

Agreed. Although, with some (even dimorphic) species, it's very hard to tell the sexes uncoloured and virtually impossible in a show cage in the mad rush of a sale. I guess it depends on what you're after, and also whether you can afford to buy and house a number of uncoloured birds to get the sexes you want.

With the hard to sex species I buy a trio....Bought a trio of RFPF 7 weeks ago their bibs are just colouring up now and one is chasing another and mounting it so gather I have a pair no where to breed though as still in cabinet....waiting for aviary.

I've done that with RFPF in the past too - bought three unsexed, ended up with 1 cock two hens - lucky!! Other times though, they've been all cocks.

[finches247]

Your totally right E orix about buying young birds uncoloured.

I Wish people would stop lying to me that birds are young when I buy them and there old birds.Thats why i try and always get half coloured birds.

[jusdeb]

The color of the bird isn't the only tell tale way to guesstimate age ..
Wear and tear , beak , toes , skin etc are all good indicators of a fairly young bird .
So I guess if one knows what to look for a colored bird has its advantages ie. sexing but to be on the safe side and to be sure to get really young birds then uncolored is the way to go .

Also another reason why I hate buying birds at sales ...No time to think and rash decisions are made .