A: Riding the tail is a sure sign but, be patient. I think this phase is the longest one. If you are giving them daily flights (push them to fly at least 10-15 minutes at the beginning to ensure that the chest muscles develop properly), from two weeks to two months they will do this and sometimes much longer (but, keep in mind the time it takes for them to start performing has nothing to do with their quality.) This is very crucial since, it is very difficult to get an adult to perform. With an adult bird that has never been broken into, you will go through hell to get them to perform and whatever performance you get from them, it will never show their true potential.
Back to young birds; as the time passes, they will start riding the tail deeper. Almost like they are sliding and loosing a lot of altitude. After this, will come the funny phase, where the tail riding will start to become half tumbles and sometimes a full tumble but, always with no control. Flying one direction, attempt a tumble, then you are going to what direction I don't know. It is a pleasure to watch this.
As they get more flying time, they will get their tumbles in a better shape. Once the tumble is OK. they will start tightening it up. As it gets tighter, they will stop loosing altitude with each tumble.
When all this is done, you will start hearing a cracking noise with each tumble. This is a sign that says they got it right. At this stage, closely watching, you can actually tell what type of tumbler they are going to be. If they are tumbling freely, as they fly in a line, almost certain they are a strait tumbler kind. If they are hesitating before each tumble, like they are almost stopping or kind of pulling their head up, good sign of a blood-line that will do a climbing performance for you. Again, as they get more flying time, they will start putting two or more tumbles together to work on their combinations and show their true style.
Good ones will put many combinations (tumble, climb, tumble, climb...) after diving towards the coop. As they get really good at this, they won't be able to land. Every time, they lower themselves to land, their instinct will make them climb up. Because the position of their head, legs and wings to land is identical for their climbing posture. So, just fly them and go sit down. They will put a show for you. (It is interesting how they manage to crush-land with the sight of a hawk)
The bird in this picture is very hesitant to fly or just land on the floor. He knows what happens, when he gets air born. There is no easy jump for this guy even from a 12" brick.
A: You can pair any color you would like with each other but the whites. Only color that is OK. to pair a white takla with other than another white is the color known as Marble back home. It is simply white bird with copper or gold shades throughout the body. The bird on the left is a Marble and they are a pair. Picture is not that clear and does not show the wings but the bird is not a yellow bar.
