Aussie Finch Forum

I want to know about chest color is black in bicheno
Is it mutation or not?

Do the birds receive natural sunlight? Plenty of green feed? It could be a mutation, or, more likely is melanistic due to lack of the aformentioned. Try upping the sunlight and greens and send updated pics at 2 week intervals. Would be interesting if it stays this way, but unlikely.
LML

Mate of mine bought some like this from a pet shop, many years ago, and they all moulted out to be normals

But . .

It may not be induced melanism . .

I would be keeping those birds and their parents / siblings until I was certain one way or the other

Cross your fingers . . or do whatever you do in your country to ensure good fortune

What other birds are with the Bicheno ...Looks like its crossed with something........ These were accidently crossed with a Plumhead

I had similar with my crimsons as you know due to lack of direct sunlight. They were D3 deficient and after upping the dose and a huge amount of greens fed within a couple of months they mysteriously without moulting went back to normal looking.
Imo, i believe these birds are also D3 deficient as well and not a mutation but time will tell i suppose. Craig

Craig52 wrote:I had similar with my crimsons as you know due to lack of direct sunlight. They were D3 deficient and after upping the dose and a huge amount of greens fed within a couple of months they mysteriously without moulting went back to normal looking.
Imo, i believe these birds are also D3 deficient as well and not a mutation but time will tell i suppose. Craig

Thank you Craig

arthur wrote:Mate of mine bought some like this from a pet shop, many years ago, and they all moulted out to be normals

But . .

It may not be induced melanism . .

I would be keeping those birds and their parents / siblings until I was certain one way or the other

Cross your fingers . . or do whatever you do in your country to ensure good fortune

Thank you Arthur