Ancona Ducks

[harriedhomemaker]

My little guys aren't showing many spots yet. I see some light coloring but maybe they are lavender or silver. Do they get their markings later?

Not really. Their markings are pretty much there from birth, though there will be some subtle changes. From the photos you've posted it appears that you will have some very lightly marked birds.

 

[eggorthechicken]

Oh OK...I don't cute either way...just easier to tell them apart.

 

[eggorthechicken]

Care...lol....stupid autocorrect.

 

[mlbroad]

Can anyone help me im searching for angina ducks in Virginia. Having a very hard time finding some I have 11a but I wanna add some new stock and different colors. Not looking for show quality just to satisfy my hobby. My brother tries but he sucks at hatching eggs I have 40 in now but ill probably only get 3 out of them email me if you have any available. Thanks [email protected]

 

[HippieHomesteader]

Can anyone help me im searching for angina ducks in Virginia. Having a very hard time finding some I have 11a but I wanna add some new stock and different colors. Not looking for show quality just to satisfy my hobby. My brother tries but he sucks at hatching eggs I have 40 in now but ill probably only get 3 out of them email me if you have any available. Thanks [email protected]

I assume autocorrect got you... I'm in Virginia too, and am just getting ready to hatch my first Ancona eggs. So far I haven't found someone in VA, but there's a farm in Greensboro, NC that has them - I See Spots Farm. You might try there if you are in the same region of VA as me.

 

[learycow]

Oh OK...I don't cute either way...just easier to tell them apart.

You will find that with some colors (lilac, lavender and buff) it's hard to really see their spots until their feathers come in. And you may even end up with some pure white ones. I had one from last years hatch that had some very very light blue spotting around her eyes, but her body was solid white. Pure white is not usually kept in a breeding flock as most breeders want color in theirs but if you are keeping them for eggs/pets then it won't really matter

 

[ChristineR]

You will find that with some colors (lilac, lavender and buff) it's hard to really see their spots until their feathers come in. And you may even end up with some pure white ones. I had one from last years hatch that had some very very light blue spotting around her eyes, but her body was solid white. Pure white is not usually kept in a breeding flock as most breeders want color in theirs but if you are keeping them for eggs/pets then it won't really matter

I also had one last year that I thought was going to be all white, but after he molted a couple times, he does have light silver markings.

 

[ChristineR]

First Ancona babies of 2013! So far, no blacks. I'm really surprised as half my hens are black.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

First Ancona babies of 2013! So far, no blacks. I'm really surprised as half my hens are black.

YAY!!!!! awwwwwww

 

[jgell]

They are super cute. I put 42 in the incubator on the 13th and 35 are looking good. I am a high school chemistry teacher and we are hatching them in two biology classes and the bio teachers are going to try to supplement their genetics unit with some investigations on the ancona colors. It is surprising you have no black ducklings. From what I have read black is the dominate gene so even if your black girls are heterogeneous you should get half of your babies to be black no matter what color your drake. If your drake is black 3/4 of your babies should be black. I am running two breeding pools one with a penciled drake (didn't want to use him but he was the only non black drake I got last year), black girl, brown girl, light grey girl, dark grey girl, and a buff girl and the second is just a black drake with a grey girl. He is a beatiful black drake with great green sheen and chest spots but i am trying to figure out if he is homogeneous or heterogeneous. If he is only going to give me black ducklings then he will have to be rehomed. Have fun with your ducklings, we are anxiously waiting for ours.