When I went to check up on the youngest chick: it's doing better, though still not as it should be tough but that wasn't really expected. So I force fed it again and noticed it nibbling at the millet spray I dumped in the box. So we're hopeful.

I used this opportunity to take a proper look at the older ones as well for the first time. It only confused things more. The oldest does show some 'opaline' traits on the head, but does not show the typical opaline spot on the side of the wings. So now I'm leaning towards not opaline. When it comes to base colour (sky/cobalt/mauve) of the other two I'm still unsure: The opaline is far paler than the mauve, but what I can see from colour and based on the cheek patches I'm inclined towards (pale) mauve. The base colour of the youngest chick seem too dark for a sky so now I'm going for cobalt. I'm sure I'll change my mind again by the time I do my next post

When it comes to quality (disregarding the youngest as it is lagging a bit behind): the opaline is clearly the best one for me but I thing both will be better than the previous fallows I bred (should be as the pedigree is slightly better). Not a total surprise as the mother of the opaline (cobalt opaline split fallow) is clearly better than the mauve fallow mother of the other one.

I've included a picture of this cobalt opaline hen as a baby in this post. Seconds after this picture was taken this baby took of through the open door you can see in the background and ended up 10 meters high in a tree. Luckily it was exhausted from this first flight and fell strait back down where I caught it.

I will try to take pictures of the chicks later.

Bert