Ancona Ducks

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Anacona Owners, I have a serious Question.

I have been wanting some for a loooonnnnng time. And last fall I even had a lady willing to GIVE me eggs from her pair. But sadly due to me leaving in June I cant get anymore duckies. But anyway, onto my question.

When you are out and about and see a duck that LOOKS like an anacona- how do you know its really a true anacona?? I mean they come in a huge variety of colors and what not. I hatched out some magpie cross babies last spring that i fell head over heels in ove with that If i had kept would have/did look very similar to anaconas. And so did the babies. But mostly in color as a few had a slight runnery stance from the dad.

so - How do you tell??? I only recently figured out how to get the pekins and alsburys ( sp?) apart with no room for mistakes. lol


here are some of my "look a likes" you can see the.. lavendar? silver? girl on the right and the blue boy on the left.
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I understand that the coloring , or markins at least are off on most but a few of these ( 16 in total, but 4 or 5 good ones ) looked similar to anaconas. What do yall think?I mean they are very obviously not, mom being a black/w magpie and dad being a f/w runner, but i loved the results anyway
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Well:

The Ancona was developed in Great Britain during the early twentieth century and most likely originated from Runner ducks and Huttegen ducks, an old Belgian duck. This is the same foundation stock as the Magpie duck.

So, basically, you're kinda re-inventing the breed by mixing the two. There's no real way to know except what the breeder tells you. I wonder if it's like rabbits? ie. if it fits the breed standard of a mini rex, it IS a mini rex, whether or not there is any way to prove it.​
 
When I first hatched out that batch i posted on here wondering if i could make my own hybrid type of Ancona with these guys, developing them over a few generations , picking out the best, but was told it was useless and that it couldnt be done =/ Still wish i had the time to try.
 
Anacona ducks, ducklings, and eggs! For a good price too!

http://huntsville.craigslist.org/grd/2194582414.html

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We have ducklings scheduled to hatch between Feb. 10-Feb. 12th. They are only $5/ea. Many colors will be available. All are full-blooded Ancona Ducks - a very rare, endangered breed. Here's some general info on the breed:

The Ancona is a hardy, adaptable, all-purpose duck. It is an excellent layer, typically laying 210-280 white, cream, or blue eggs yearly. The Ancona also grows relatively quickly, and produces high quality meat that is more flavorful and less fatty than that of most Pekin ducks. Anconas are well suited for situations where they can forage for some of their food and are capable of eating large "banana" slugs. "They make excellent pond or yard ducks since they tend to stay close to home, do not fly under normal conditions and are large enough so that they are less likely to be preyed upon by winged predators. Typically they have moderately calm temperaments and make fine pets." (Holderread 2001, 52)
"As with all rare breeds, it is especially important to choose stock birds that are vigorous, free of physical deformities and have classic breeds traits. Since it is an excellent layer, productivity should be given a high priority in breeders. To produce the highest percentage of offspring with unique patterns, select birds with definite colored areas under their eyes and at least a bit of color in their chests. Avoid specimens that are either solid white or primarily colored with a white bib." (Holderread 2001, 53) While the Ancona is not yet recognized by the American Poultry Association, one breeder suggests the ideal aesthetic is three quarters white plumage and one quarter colored. Their excellent laying ability, tasty meat, and calm dispositions make them a great addition to any small farmstead or backyard producer's flock.

To view our adults, please visit our website at http://worthitfarms.viviti.com







EDITED TO ADD---- that im an idiot, haha, I thought that I had hit the jackpot and found a SECOND cool breeder like AuroraSprings... only this IS AuroraSprings xD
 
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With feed prices and start up costs we are lucky to be able to sell them at that price still close to others, sandhill has them at 7 each and sells out every year. We totally dont want to price ourselves out but have to start up the breeding program. Working on increasing the size of our flock has taken a couple years also now with Holderreads and Deppes banded, we have a clear selection process based on different types of lineage. We can decrease the price if we can streamline somethings but shipping is going up so its a double edge sword, hope you understand:)
 
M-m-m-MY Anconas!

The trio, out causing trouble.
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Mr. B. Quackers telling his girl Fern something:

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Miss Poppy:

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Miss Fern:

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In the pool (except Mr. B. He usually waits for his ladies to wrap up their splash fest before he jumps in). They all love the moss near the pool:

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The gals:

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Mr. B. looks for a treat:

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He's kind of a messy chested duck in these pictures (and a lot of the time). He has been getting his adult feathers so I don't know if that is it, or the fact that he seems only half interested in getting in and acting really ducky. He does get plenty of access to clean water to dabble and swim in but seems like he is like my 6 year old son - he just doesn't mind being my little messy man.

(Yes, I am a tad partial to Mr. B. something about him got to me from the moment I saw him. Ducky love at first sight.)
 
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