Sexing saint helenas...

Includes Species Profile
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toothlessjaws
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Posts: 534
Joined: 25 Apr 2009, 09:54
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Location: melbourne

the Blue ring and no ringed birds I have both had for around 5 years. they were bought as a pair but i suspected from day one i'd been sold two cocks.

the pink ringed bird I was sold as a hen late last year. the guy was so confident it was a hen, even saying "you don't know how to sex saints?!!" i paired her with the blue ringed bird but i became suspicious after not seeing any behavioural differences in the (blue)cock.

actually tiaris - the no ringed bird is not so impressive anymore - he lost all his head feathers a couple of years back and has been a vulture ever since.
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E Orix
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Joined: 29 May 2009, 23:30
Location: Howlong on NSW/Vic Border 30km from Albury
Location: Howlong NSW

Without doubt if I was buying or selling those birds I would be treating them as all cockbirds.
It is not the amount of black but the feathers are black.
Females are brown to dark brown not black. As a breeder of Pintail Whydahs means we handle big numbers and
sexing is found to be quite easy.
If you or you know of someone going through my area in the near future who can pick up some birds let me know and
I will give you a hen or two.
Remember we all make mistakes from time to time
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COUNTRY CAPITAL
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Joined: 01 Sep 2010, 08:25
Location: TAMWORTH

well done e-orix....that's an offer too good to refuse toothless!
mind you if the first two cocks are at least 5 years old I would be pensioning them off too!
dimorphic species are much easier....good old ruddies/gouldians/crimsons for most of us.
hope you finally crack those saints....once you get pairs they should reproduce for you.
my solution to monomorphic species is to acquire more of them to get both sexes....its my excuse for having so many!
CC
Aussie finch tragic.rodent/snake terroriser.
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toothlessjaws
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Location: Melbourne, Victoria
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Thank you for the kind offer David, If only I knew someone out your way!

having had a good look at the birds now and compared them I think i'll be a little more confident in making sure i get a hen next time.
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toothlessjaws
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Joined: 25 Apr 2009, 09:54
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
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A little update for those interested.

Given i was of the belief that I had 3 cockbirds the saints got relegated to a non-breeding aviary until i got around to finding a new hen for the younger (pink ringed) bird. I started feeding surplus maggots to the birds in this non-breeding aviary and wallah! saints build a nest and lay an egg.

so turns out the pink-ringed bird was a hen after all!

however the blue ringed cock she's paired with is very old. he must be 6 plus years now, so the question is has he still got it?
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finchbreeder
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Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast

Pleased to hear you have a hen Toothless. Hope you have more good luck and a chick results. Is "vulture" in with them too?
LML
LML
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toothlessjaws
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Joined: 25 Apr 2009, 09:54
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
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Oddly, Vulture just died a couple of days ago.
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