AI rarely kills waterfowl, they are carriers of the virus. Unless you have them in an enclosed area they can get AI.
AI will kill the chickens in a couple days but the Mallards will look fine.
w
There are always sports white and dark or black but Jr came out with excellent type and color. When the Mallards all look alike you need numbered bands. Lol
w
I like her too, and I'm a Mallard snob. She has very nicely penciled feathers. (The lighter lines around the feathers ) that is where 100 percent Mallards differentiate themselves. The length of bill, color of bill and the pencil ing can usually show the difference. Look at the Mallards...
She could be a black sport from Mallards. How were they tested to determine it was pure Mallard. By who?
I'm just curious. She looked black as a duckling. Look on the inside joint of the wings. That will probably have a subdued Mallard pattern.
Walt
I am a general licensed poultry judge. Exhibition/show Mallards are small and racy. Real Mallards should have a 4 inch bill and be so strong that you can hardly hold on to them.
Walt
Most domestic ducks.....as I'm sure you know, have Mallard in them. Domestic ducks are all Mallard derivitives other than Muscovys.
Why didn't you use East Indies for the cross? I crossed Calls to Mallards for flying birds to train falcons and they came out looking like Calls or sometimes...
If I wanted to make a duck that looked like a black Mallard I wouldn't use a Call duck. I agree that it is dishonest to misrepresent birds for sale but I'm not sure that it is illegal.
Do you have pictures of your black Mallards?
Walt
I agree that they should not be called Mallards, but what makes it illegal to do so?
duckmeister
I have made that cross before and it is not guaranteed that they will be racy flying ducks. They could very well look like Calls and not fly very well.
Walt
I was in Red Deer Alberta judging a poultry show last weekend........I'm glad I live in Calif......lol
She probably will not lay until spring. Down here mine start laying in late spring early summer.
Walt
99% of what you find is wild Mallards. They breed with anything, so they are usually kind of fat, with shorter bills, bigger heads and varying shades of color...particularly in the females who tend towards lightness. The old style Mallards are like rocket ships. They are slim, very, very strong...
If it died fairly recently it would be fair game. Many of the Mallard based domestics are pretty randy drakes. That would be most of the domestic ducks, with the smaller domestics being the most active. My Runners will kill a female by over mating if I don't watch them. If you watch them they...