Ancona Ducks

[Andora]

That's exactly what I thought. It mostly sounds like a boy then occasionally makes louder girl noises. Maybe I'll just have to wait a couple weeks. I'm really hoping it's a girl because I have one rude male Pekin and one female Pekin. I don't think I could have two males and a female, and I don't have space for more until we move in a few years.

 

[ChristineR]

I have no idea because I got him from hatching eggs that I bought. He's black though, which is a very common Ancona color.

I look at the placement of the color splashes more than the color. My little flock has black, chocolate, blue, and one silver.

Originally Posted by ducklover700

 

[Bee]

I have five Ancona ducklings, three male, two female, hatched from my drake and hens. One male was white with a large amount of black. The black area is changing, showing a brown pattern that looks kinda like my mallards (who have not made it to their first breeding season so no cross was involved). Is this a normal colour pattern for Ancona's or is this one to cull from the flock breeders?

Two images showing the male/brown patterned Ancona

His head is still black. Sorry images are not clearer. Taken with phone. I will borrow my daughter camera soon.

 

[ChristineR]

I'm not an expert, but I don't think that is a desirable trait that you'd want to breed. From what I understand, you don't want any pattern.

I have a color question, too. I have a male Ancona who has black markings on his head, but the rest of him is marked with chocolate. Is this what would be considered tri-color? He would not hold still for a picture last night so I had to pick him up.

He has decided that he does not like one of the other drakes and is constantly picking on him. Just one, though, he leaves the others alone. I'm thinking about finding this guy a new home.

 

[AuroraSprings]

It's actually probably very, very dark chocolate on his head. So, not considered a tricolor. That mallard patterned one would be considered a tricolor though. Any color pattern you could find in runners has the possibility to show up in Anconas. Won't see much "dusky gene"patterned ones though.

 

[eggcited2]

I am going to look at some this Sunday, July 15. I have never heard of them before, but saw some on craigslist and intrigued. The lady has one drake and two hens.

I have a feeling I may be bringing at least one of them home.

 

[ducklover700]

It could be a really dark chocolate but if he really does have black And chocolate then he is tricolor. Any two colors with the white is tri color

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

Anconas are adorable and probably about the only duck breed I haven't raised yet and I've been raising them since 2003. Might just have to get some in the future.

 

[Chicken Crazy12]

I'm not an expert, but I don't think that is a desirable trait that you'd want to breed. From what I understand, you don't want any pattern.

I have a color question, too. I have a male Ancona who has black markings on his head, but the rest of him is marked with chocolate. Is this what would be considered tri-color? He would not hold still for a picture last night so I had to pick him up.

He has decided that he does not like one of the other drakes and is constantly picking on him. Just one, though, he leaves the others alone. I'm thinking about finding this guy a new home.

If what your explaining is anything like a couple of mine then yes it is tri-colored. They will often hatch out black and then get chocolate over the back, some black down the sides and black on the head. I can say for sure that mine are not chocolate and a true tri-colored because I've bred them to my chocolate girls only to produce black offspring. Right now i'm working with a little Tri-colored drake that should be a chocolate carrier in hopes of producing a true chocolate drake for my chocolate flock. Anyway to answer your question it very well could be a tri-color.

 

[Chicken Crazy12]

I have five Ancona ducklings, three male, two female, hatched from my drake and hens. One male was white with a large amount of black. The black area is changing, showing a brown pattern that looks kinda like my mallards (who have not made it to their first breeding season so no cross was involved). Is this a normal colour pattern for Ancona's or is this one to cull from the flock breeders?

Two images showing the male/brown patterned Ancona

His head is still black. Sorry images are not clearer. Taken with phone. I will borrow my daughter camera soon.

This color does crop up in almost every bloodline I've found. It is due to their runner duck ancestry. In a technical standpoint it would be considered Tri-colored, but is not something you want to breed for or use in your breeding programs. He would be considered a cull, sorry. They make great pets and the hens are great for egg production for those selling duck eggs for baking, cooking etc....