Rare Blue Fawn Rouens

[Senna95]

Sure, I have lots of ideas.

If a saxony X Rouen made a white bird, then neither can be a pure saxony or Rouen. There was probably a pekin involved somewhere.

I'm not sure what you mean by "silver grey", except that you may be talking about "blue", as in Cumberland blue, a common color for runners. This, crossed with a Rouen would result in a blue-fawn bird.

saxony X Rouen would also result in blue-fawn.

 

[Welshies]

Sure, I have lots of ideas.

If a saxony X Rouen made a white bird, then neither can be a pure saxony or Rouen. There was probably a pekin involved somewhere.

I'm not sure what you mean by "silver grey", except that you may be talking about "blue", as in Cumberland blue, a common color for runners. This, crossed with a Rouen would result in a blue-fawn bird.

saxony X Rouen would also result in blue-fawn.

Silver grey. Cumberland blue. Yes, that's about right.

But if the Saxony x Rouen made a white bird, then how could the same cross make three BFs out of maybe 10 ducklings?

 

[Senna95]

Since we don't know your breeders' set-up it is impossible to know exactly what outcome should be expected from her crosses. If she doesn't breed in strict pairs, then it is possible that your little flock has multiple moms/dads. It could be that only one of her saxonies, and one of her Rouens or runners carries the white gene, and only when those 2 particular birds get together will you have a white bird, and then only one in four at that. So the possibilities of a white bird would be pretty small.

Now, blue fawn is a pretty easy color to breed for, since it is incompletely dominant, and it is obvious when a duck has this gene (i.e. Your birds). Since both saxonies and blue runners have this gene it is fairly obvious that one of them was involved in making your blue-fawn birds.

 

[Senna95]

Oh, and.....

Assuming that all the ducklings have the same mom/dad, and that they are Saxony/Rouen cross, and that each carries the white gene, statistically your outcome for 10 ducklings should have been:

2-3 white
3-4 grey (Rouen)
3-4 blue fawn

But....

Since there was probably a pekin involved somewhere down the line, there could be all sorts of hidden genes. I would love to see photos of her adult birds.

 

[Welshies]

Oh, and.....

Assuming that all the ducklings have the same mom/dad, and that they are Saxony/Rouen cross, and that each carries the white gene, statistically your outcome for 10 ducklings should have been:

2-3 white
3-4 grey (Rouen)
3-4 blue fawn

But....

Since there was probably a pekin involved somewhere down the line, there could be all sorts of hidden genes. I would love to see photos of her adult birds.

I can get some. And can I breed the drake back to a Rouen and eventually retain the blue fawn gene while basically having an ALMOST purebred Rouen?

 

[Senna95]

That's what I would do. Keep in mind though, that it is very possible that you have some hidden recessive genes going on, such as recessive white, dusky, light phase, among others, so don't be surprised if you get some.....surprises.

If you really want to know and understand what is going on, I recommend you pick up a copy of Dave Holderread's "Story's guide to Ducks", and Mike and Chris Ashton's "Colour Breeding in Domestic Ducks". both are excellent.

 

[Welshies]

That's what I would do. Keep in mind though, that it is very possible that you have some hidden recessive genes going on, such as recessive white, dusky, light phase, among others, so don't be surprised if you get some.....surprises.

If you really want to know and understand what is going on, I recommend you pick up a copy of Dave Holderread's "Story's guide to Ducks", and Mike and Chris Ashton's "Colour Breeding in Domestic Ducks". both are excellent.

I have Holderread's book, and I can't find much for help in there. At least, in regards to this problem. I find it difficult to know what is going on here.
Saxony ducks are usually a saxony color, not so much a light tan, right? Hers looked like the Saxony version of a Rouen Claire.

 

[Welshies]

That's what I would do. Keep in mind though, that it is very possible that you have some hidden recessive genes going on, such as recessive white, dusky, light phase, among others, so don't be surprised if you get some.....surprises.

If you really want to know and understand what is going on, I recommend you pick up a copy of Dave Holderread's "Story's guide to Ducks", and Mike and Chris Ashton's "Colour Breeding in Domestic Ducks". both are excellent.

Here are her adult ducks.

Looks like I may have gotten mixed breeds. Mine look so pure, at least the hens: here are my duck hens

 

[Senna95]

Yes, it looks like you may have gotten mixed ducks of mixed ducks. I don't see any that look pure..... Sorry, not even yours. The eye stripe is wrong for a Rouen.

If you yourself are happy with the ducks, and want to breed and sell, by all means, go right ahead. Just don't sell them as pure and put your customers in the same unfortunate, ackward situation that you were in. There is nothing wrong with mixed breeds, but there is something wrong with dishonesty....

 

[Welshies]

Yes, it looks like you may have gotten mixed ducks of mixed ducks. I don't see any that look pure..... Sorry, not even yours. The eye stripe is wrong for a Rouen.

If you yourself are happy with the ducks, and want to breed and sell, by all means, go right ahead. Just don't sell them as pure and put your customers in the same unfortunate, ackward situation that you were in. There is nothing wrong with mixed breeds, but there is something wrong with dishonesty....

I may use them for meat, and get 5 buffs that look beautiful- 1 drake, 4 hens.
And I would never label mixeds as pures... But the market for pures is HUGE here since there are so few pures, people pay lots.