Identifying Split Blue Gouldian Chicks

[Simba]

On the LadyGouldian finch site I found this comment below, would be interesting if this is true as it would be a good way to identify split blues in a nest when pairing two splits together. I had 3 chicks hatch yesterday from a Blue to a split, all chicks have white inner nodules at the moment but I'm going to keep an eye on them and see if any turn yellow as these will be known splits, I also have a pair of splits that have hatched several chicks some chicks have white and some yellow inner nodules I'll be monitioring them to see if any with white nodules turn yellow.

From http://ladygouldian.com/node/151" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In Normal and Yellow-back Gouldian chicks, the 2 center nodules are yellow, while the 4 outer nodules are always blue. In a Blue-back mutation Gouldian the 2 inner nodules are always white.
I was also surprised to find out that this is also true for split to Blue-back Gouldian chicks in the first few days of life. As split to Blue-back chicks mature, their center nodule will also turn yellow.

[Diane]

I saw that too and was hoping to try it myself this year. Interesting to watch those results. The difficult thing is going to be recognising the right chick, I usually dont band till they leave the nest just in case the hen takes offensive to the new jewellery and tosses it and the attached youngster out of the box. I saw your post re marking young chicks in another topic.....as they are going to feather up the only place to make a mark is the legs. Dont they make really tiny leg bands? Im sure in the US they are required to band birds very early.

[gouldianpaul]

Good pick up Simba...i will look out for this as well....I have paired up several blues to either normals or splits....so it should be easy to pick up...it would be interesting to see what some of the more experienced Blue breeders think about this discovery....cheers, Paul

[julieinWA]

I have taken very careful note of the gouldian gapes ( nodules) when breeding the blue and because I have hand raised
quite a few goulds I have been able to look at this closer.
I find only that the blue gouldian chicks have a white middle gape , aust yellow also have white gape, the dilute blue have white gape.
all other chicks have the yellow middle gape .. I have taken some photos of this also .
There is no way to tell a gould is split for blue as far as I have noted .

Simba if you chicks have inner white gapes then they are blue.

[mackstaa]

Can anyone back this up since the breeding season has started?
My blues are white centre nodule and greens and yellows including split blues are yellow nodules from day 0 and dont change with time.

[Diane]

5 young so far from 2 pairs of split blues, only 2 of these being visual blue mutations and only the blue mutation have the white nodules, the others yellow and no change. Expecting 6 eggs to hatch from YB/b pair in the next couple of days so will update when Ive seen those.

[venetta]

We had two chicks hatch today from supposedly split blues and I am sure the centre nodules were white, but I can't remember if our green backs had yellow or white....

Will check again in the next few days

[venetta]

Just checked the photos of the green backs young that I took a couple of photos of, they're definitely yellow..

Now to just make sure both our eyes weren't playing tricks on us this afternoon!!

I'M SO EXCITED!!!!

[BluJay]

congratulations, you babies finally came, hope they turn out to be what you want! I cannot answer questions about the nodules, I don't nest check. I had a blue come out of two yellows, still trying to figure that one. But am very happy for you. YaaaaaaaY!

[finchbreeder]

BluJay your two yellows must both be split blues.
LML