# 2 Normal gray (or are they?) parents. Baby's too?



## Littlebigtiel (Sep 6, 2011)

I have a normal gray (from what I see) cockatiel pair. The mom laid 4 eggs but only 2 were successful. Now the chicks are about 2 weeks old, healthy, and really jumpy  The oldest chick is only 2 days older than the youngest. Yeah, they're pretty cute. But I noticed that the oldest chick has pink feet. And it's tiny feathers are light brown. The youngest chick has dark gray feet and his feathers are dark gray. Why is this? Both parents don't look like cinnamon cockatiels. They both look really gray. Just like a normal gray cockatiel.


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

aww congrats on the babies! The male could be split to cinnamon which means hes carries the cinnamon gene, if you do have a cinnamon baby there then it is a girl.


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## Littlebigtiel (Sep 6, 2011)

So if the dad Is a split cinnamon, can he be all gray without and light brown feathers?


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

yes he will look like a normal grey but he is carrying the cinnamon gene, it isnt expressed visually. He could have other hidden splits as well which makes for some fun surprises in the nest box sometimes

There are splits that can be seen on birds ( like pied, pearl and whiteface) and some that cant be seen( like cinnamon and lutino).


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## Littlebigtiel (Sep 6, 2011)

Wow. I never thought id have such a special papa  can the mom have some splits as well?


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

She could be split to pied or whiteface. How to tell if split to pied, http://media.photobucket.com/image/...ore/Other birds/Split-to-pied-ILLUS-A.jpg?o=2 and split to whiteface, http://media.photobucket.com/image/...nd-more/Other birds/Split-to-WF-adult.jpg?o=6, 
http://media.photobucket.com/image/...e/Other birds/Split-to-WF-cheek-patch.jpg?o=7 

thought id post links to pics as they might be easier to understand than me trying to explain 


Females cannot be split to sex linked mutations, which are pearl, cinnamon and lutino so she wont be split to any of those.


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## Littlebigtiel (Sep 6, 2011)

Ok. Well thanks! I was kind of worrying about the chicks health. I thought it has to do with it's nourishment. Thanks again!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Can you post some pictures of the parents and chicks? We can do a better job of telling you what you have if we can see what they look like.


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