Ancona Ducks

[AuroraSprings]

Wow, I just found this thread. I apparently need to spend more time peeking into the corners of BYC.

I have 8 Anconas. Guess I'll try to take some pics tomarrow. (Umm, I'm not awesome at this, just so you know)

Hi Celtic!

Fearnleaf, I like your girl. Glad you have a pair now.

I'd be interested in everyones thoughts on one odd Ancona I have. Its white and very pale grey. Whats that called? Silver? lavander?

It's probably a silver. Make sure you post good photos of it so we can tell. Is it a drake or duck? Who did you get it from?




CelticOaks:

Do your ducklings always come out that "white"? It's a lack of porphyrin, I know that, but can't figure out why it happens. Any thoughts? Doesn't seem to hurt them, affect them, nor reduce their color as adults.

 

[ChristineR]

I'd be interested in everyones thoughts on one odd Ancona I have. Its white and very pale grey. Whats that called? Silver? lavander?

I have one like that, too. It's really hard to tell what color he is. I think he's silver, but because he's almost all white except for a little bit of color under his eyes and on his lower back, I'm not sure. He'll be going in the pet flock this spring.

It's probably a silver. Make sure you post good photos of it so we can tell. Is it a drake or duck? Who did you get it from?


CelticOaks:

Do your ducklings always come out that "white"? It's a lack of porphyrin, I know that, but can't figure out why it happens. Any thoughts? Doesn't seem to hurt them, affect them, nor reduce their color as adults.

I didn't know that. I did notice that the ducklings that came from your eggs we're much yellower than the two ducklings I got from Jaz. Even their feathers are a "creamier" color than the other two, although I have noticed that they are starting to look more alike lately.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Mine were pretty yellow. The chocolates had me thrown off though- would have thought they were blue at hatch. Here's one of the blacks from an April hatch:

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

not everyone comes out so white, but once in a blue moon we will get a stretch of whiter than normal. Had a gosling hatch with a cotton white head this year. He is a Lavender Saddleback now. I have noticed that when they pip quickly and break their heads free and then take (what feels like forever) to fully hatch they appear more white than others.

 

[harriedhomemaker]

I recently changed up my flock pretty dramatically by culling what had been my 2 main drakes. The latest generation had some boys that had more size to them, which is what I've been wanting. My keeper drakes are good guys, markings are nice, they are two blacks and a blue. I was quite attached to my foundation boys... but stood side-by-side with the younger fellows, there was just no question. I have good color in the hens, and everyone's markings are balanced pretty well.

How big were your culled drakes compared to your younger ones? The drakes I hatched from your eggs are a nice meaty size while the girls are petite. The girls I got from a local source are much larger and are just slightly smaller than the drakes.

 

[toadbriar]

How big were your culled drakes compared to your younger ones? The drakes I hatched from your eggs are a nice meaty size while the girls are petite. The girls I got from a local source are much larger and are just slightly smaller than the drakes.

Visually larger and significantly weightier. Robust with lovely strong white necks. My culled fellows looked distinctly scrawny by comparison, though I would never have used that word before seeing the new boys filled out. The culled guys were definitely respectable for the table. They were still larger than the hens and in good body condition. They just didn't have the larger structure that some of the hens have passed down to these new guys. I would like to get the ladies a bit larger framed as well, and I expect these boys will bring that to the next generation and maybe I can establish more of a fixed size across the board. It was not easy to cull flashy blues and lavenders, but there's more to them than the paint job. The new guys have decent amounts of spotting, if not exciting wacky patterns. I've got all colors I want to work with already in my hens, so that won't get lost. Honestly I am quite pleased to have improvement in my drakes that I can't afford to ignore... but I was so pleased with the one drake from my first hatch, and then the other fellow who was so pretty and very calm-tempered. I know the ones I kept are better, but the ones I culled were nicer than I'd hoped to have in the first place when I began. It's bittersweet to be a work in progress and to know there's really no finish.

Gosh how is that for a duck eulogy?

 

[harriedhomemaker]

Visually larger and significantly weightier. Robust with lovely strong white necks. My culled fellows looked distinctly scrawny by comparison, though I would never have used that word before seeing the new boys filled out. The culled guys were definitely respectable for the table. They were still larger than the hens and in good body condition. They just didn't have the larger structure that some of the hens have passed down to these new guys. I would like to get the ladies a bit larger framed as well, and I expect these boys will bring that to the next generation and maybe I can establish more of a fixed size across the board. It was not easy to cull flashy blues and lavenders, but there's more to them than the paint job. The new guys have decent amounts of spotting, if not exciting wacky patterns. I've got all colors I want to work with already in my hens, so that won't get lost. Honestly I am quite pleased to have improvement in my drakes that I can't afford to ignore... but I was so pleased with the one drake from my first hatch, and then the other fellow who was so pretty and very calm-tempered. I know the ones I kept are better, but the ones I culled were nicer than I'd hoped to have in the first place when I began. It's bittersweet to be a work in progress and to know there's really no finish.

Gosh how is that for a duck eulogy?

Aw! I know it will be hard for me when the time comes, especially with the ones I've known since they were an egg.

By the description, it sounds like my drakes show the improvements you've seen. Lucky me!

 

[Goose and Fig]

I don't butcher my boys, I just keep getting more girls....

My babies from Shellie are here!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

lol yeah Amy explained she NEEDED more girls. Glad they shipped so quickly Amy.

 

[Marty1876]

Here are some pics of our Anconas (and a few others hanging out with them now).

First, a comprison of the light vs. darker anconas I've got. Trying to pin down color for the greyish one.
the off color is the 2nd from Left in this bunch of Anconas (and one indian runner)

light vs dark ancona close up

Black Ancona vs.
Silver? Ancona.....

What do you think? I'd lie to know the classification of this drake.