Black Pekins?

[apan]

So we recently hatched eggs from our flock. We have one Pekin drake, one Pekin duck, and two fawn and white runner ducks. All three went broody at the same time. We watched 6 large (we thought they were Pekins) eggs hatch, but two of them have large patches of black! How can this be? Could they have been large runner eggs? Can fawn runners even have black chick anyway?

 

[Amiga]

Wow . . . I hope someone with an understanding of genetics can respond. huh..... Has there been some hanky-panky with wild ducks?

 

[chickens really]

There was another thread about two weeks ago? Someone else was asking why their Pekin Ducklings had large black patches...The one person replied that once the feathers grown in the birds usually are white......I hope someone with experience with the breed sees the thread......
I bet they are so cute!

Best of luck

Cheers!

 

[apan]

My last round of duckling I had a Pekin with a few dark blotches which did turn white. But with these little guys, the black is very dark and organized in a somewhat symmetrical pattern. Not complaining! They ARE adorable but it's just so mysterious.

I also wonder if wild ducks could have been involved but the duck have such limited free range time I don't see how it could happen.

 

[apan]

Here's one of them! One of the others is even darker!

 

[chickens really]

Wow!!
Soo darn cute!!!!
As you know all duckling down is one colour, then they feather in and they lose those feathers and then grow in the adult feathers......as you said, who cares! They are so adorable !!
It's like getting new Ducks every few weeks!

Congrats!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here's one of them! One of the others is even darker!

That is absolutely adorable. Looks to be a mixture I got blk runner from a brown and blue runner. So genetics plays a role. for sure. Do these particularly stand more erect?

 

[apan]

Maybe! It's hard to tell if any stand more erect since they are only 36 hours old. I can certainly keep you all posted as they grow!

I'd be thrilled but surprised if they were runner-Pekin mixes. The eggs they hatched from were huge and in the Pekin's nest and my runner girls are pretty small.

But, as you all keep saying, who knows! Cutest mystery ever.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe! It's hard to tell if any stand more erect since they are only 36 hours old. I can certainly keep you all posted as they grow!

I'd be thrilled but surprised if they were runner-Pekin mixes. The eggs they hatched from were huge and in the Pekin's nest and my runner girls are pretty small.

But, as you all keep saying, who knows! Cutest mystery ever.

yes please keep us updated. would love to see them as they grow up. It was probably about a week old before I could see my lil Runners standing up more erect.

 

[Sarkchick]

I know for a fact that Pekins can produce color. Last year my 4 female / 2 male Pekins hatched out blue/white, black/white and mallard looking babies. Two different times.

This is all the colors at 6 and 8 months

Linda