Cock or hen?

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Rob
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Posts: 158
Joined: 20 Feb 2016, 22:44
Location: Perth

Hi everyone. Just wondering if you think this bird is a cock or hen? This bird is at least 12 months old and was sold as a hen, but the purchaser returned it to me claiming that it was a cock. The purchaser seemed like a nice guy and knowledgeable on finches. He claimed he could see some red feathers starting to come through and it was not behaving like a hen when paired with his cock. I can't see any red whatsoever and still think it's a hen. Many of my previous hens have had a nice shade of blue through them and have been good active, fiesty singers and I have never had a cock not have red cheeks by 12 months of age. They have all had red cheeks show much earlier for me and I have bred all year round with similar results.
I need to sell this bird as I don't have a decent holding cage. Would you sell it as a cock or hen?
Has anybody had a cock not show cheeks by 12 months and could there potentially be any reasons why this could happen?
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Shane Gowland
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If it's 12 months it should certainly have got its red cheeks in by now.

Something that happened to me in the past was a buyer that returned a scarlet parrot that I sold as a hen because it started to develop red chest feathers—which only the males get. I gave the guy his money back, but it wasn't until later in the day that I realised the parrot also didn't have the leg ring it was supposed to have. It can't be proved, but there's possibly people out there tricking sellers into swapping boys for more-valuable hens.
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Rob
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Joined: 20 Feb 2016, 22:44
Location: Perth

Minimum 12 months!!
I think it is my bird. He seemed like a genuine guy too. I honestly believe he thinks it's a cock. The thing that does annoy me though is that it doesn't look as healthy as when I sold it to him, but I'll fix that.
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finchbreeder
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Hopefully it is your hen, not an older one. One of the advantages of closed rings. Which I admit to not using. Maybe she just did not fancy his cock, and so he thought something was wrong. I am sure there will be someone on here interested in buying her.
LML
LML
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Rob
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Posts: 158
Joined: 20 Feb 2016, 22:44
Location: Perth

:thumbup: The bird had been treated with moxi plus and toltrazuril a week prior and probably wasn't in the mood for putting up with his cock in my opinion. They tend to take a bit to pick up in my experience.
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