Am I a Buff Orpington?

[bucolic beauty]

We've had our ducks for 5 weeks now and are still unsure of their breed(s). We were so sure the buff/fawn/tan colored duck was an Indian Runner because it's penguin-like stance but as he s/he has matured, seems to have lost it's stance. I also suspect he may be a boy. Rather than quacking, he whistles and it looks like his tail feather is starting to curl. The white duck, is not actually as white as s/he appears to be in the photo but more of a creamy, buttery color(I believe they're both about 7 weeks old). Will her plumage eventually turn white or are there breeds of ducks that are off-white in color. Do you think my buff colored guy could be a Buff Orpington? I read somewhere that the Indian Runner was one of the breeds of ducks William Cook used to create the Buff Orpington, which would explain the occasional penguin stance. Thoughts?

 

[DuckLover179]

He/She looks like a buff to me. Definitely not a runner. You can sex by the quack now, so if it makes a raspy sound (Not like a regular quack) then it's a drake, and if it makes a loud "QUACK!!!!" Then it's a hen. The way you describe it, it sounds more like a drake. His tail feather won't curl for a while (around 4-5 months, or so I've heard), so your best bet is sexing by the quack.

 

[bucolic beauty]

Thank you so much. Yes, my buff makes a raspy, whistling sound where as the cream colored duck makes a noise that sounds like a cross between and honk and a quack. STill learning.

 

[DuckLover179]

So it looks like you have a female Pekin, and a male Buff.

 

[gofasterstripe]

The Pekin whill turn white then he will molt again in a few weeks and when the adult feathers come in they will probably be yellow, but will fade back to white. They are both very pretty.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

I'm not sure but it is very pretty

 

[70%cocoa]

Your darker one does look like a nice Buff Orpington. The other may be an Orp too. There are three colour varieties in the "Buffs" - Brown, Buff and Blond. The breed is named after one of the varieties. The three varieties are determined by how many Blue genes the bird has. Brown ducks have no blue genes and no blue colour and are dark buff. Brown Drakes are dark buff with a dark brown head and dark brown rump. Buff ducks have one blue gene and are medium buff and they can have some blue colour in the rump and in the wings. Buff Drakes have a brownish head and blue rump. Blond ducks are even lighter buff in colour than the Buffs and can have blue on the rump and wings. Blond drakes have a blue head and blue rump and on the wings. But the amount of blue on the rump and wings in the Buffs and Blondes can vary and can sometimes be hardly visible at all.

Anyway, that is how the colour varieties are named in Australia and how they apear as a function of the blue gene. I have a feeling that in the US the variety you call Buff might not be the one we call Buff but I am not sure.

So, in our language, you may have a Buff and a Blond Orpington there. Could still be two ducks as neither is showing drake colors yet, but they are both still young. Can you see any blue colouring (slate blue/grey) on the rump, tail or wing feathers?

In talking about the colour varieties in the Buffs I am not talking about Blue, Chocolate or Black Orpingtons which are a different kettle of fish!

I don't breed Orps, I just have an interest in them. Hopefully a knowledgeable Orp breeder will be along at some point!

 

[MommaBugg]

OK no idea about the buff, but I will have to agree withsaying the white one is a pekin. They take awhile to fully grow out of their yellow baby down. My pekins are about 8 weeks, and while they are MOSTLY white, their coloring could be better described as 'cream' because they still have just a hint of the baby down. One is definately a drake, he already has some of his drake feathers, two VERY obvious very curly feathers on his tail, but he also has had his raspy grunty voice for awhile. The other one I was hoping was just a quiet hen, must be a drake as well. Nothing yet that would indicate a quack, just raspy whistles.(which the other one does not whistle but I find cute)

We have a third pekin about 3 weeks younger than the other two, more cream to the coloring, but nothing obvious in the way of quacks yet.

 

[Miss Lydia]

both are very pretty!

 

[MissusDee]

His bill is yellow, he is a drake, can tell by looking at him.