Anyone know what my baby, chicken nugget, is gonna grow up to look like?

[Fangeddeer]

I’ve had many Khaki-Rouen (rouens are basically big mallards) and Pekin-Rouen mixes before.
The Khaki-Rouen girls grew to look like Rouens, and the boys grew to look like Khakis.
The Pekin-Rouens all grew to look like Rouens with small splashes of white on their heads, chest, and wings.
From my experience, white isn’t a very dominant gene, and your baby looks most similar to my Khaki-Rouens, so I’d guess yours will grow up to look like that as well. I can get you some pictures, if you’d like.

By chance, do you know why nuggets chest is yellow + white? I thought white started out as yellow first

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Not always. I had a

By chance, do you know why nuggets chest is yellow + white? I thought white started out as yellow first

Few chicks that started white and then changed or stayed white as adults

 

[KathiQuacks]

This was my first Khaki-Rouen duckling - very similar to your Nugget imo

He grew up to look like this:

For comparison, here’s some of my Pekin-Rouens - look at all that yellow!

They grew up to look like this:

Here’s that same male above when he was molting - so colorful

By chance, do you know why nuggets chest is yellow + white? I thought white started out as yellow first

No, I’m not sure about the white, but my ducklings had that too. It could be a pale yellow instead of white, actually, but I can’t tell. I also know that yellow can turn into light brown instead of white, which is what happened with my ducks.
Regardless, Nugget is gonna be beautiful when they’re grown!! They’re already super pretty

 

[Fangeddeer]

This was my first Khaki-Rouen duckling - very similar to your Nugget imo
View attachment 3723810
He grew up to look like this:
View attachment 3723811
View attachment 3723812View attachment 3723813

For comparison, here’s some of my Pekin-Rouens - look at all that yellow!
View attachment 3723816
They grew up to look like this:
View attachment 3723818
View attachment 3723819
View attachment 3723820
Here’s that same male above when he was molting - so colorful
View attachment 3723821


No, I’m not sure about the white, but my ducklings had that too. It could be a pale yellow instead of white, actually, but I can’t tell. I also know that yellow can turn into light brown instead of white, which is what happened with my ducks.
Regardless, Nugget is gonna be beautiful when they’re grown!! They’re already super pretty

Omg, your first one looks almost exactly like nugget! I can’t wait to show y’all him when he’s grown :]
I’m so curious about his other siblings as well, they haven’t even pipped yet (hopefully that’s not a bad thing)

 

[KathiQuacks]

I’m so curious about his other siblings as well, they haven’t even pipped yet (hopefully that’s not a bad thing)

About when did you notice your mama sitting on her eggs (fully committed, sitting almost all day)? And did she have all of her eggs when she first sat, or did she continue to lay for awhile?

I ask because I had a mama start sitting halfway through laying her clutch, so she sat at 10 eggs, but laid an extra 10 afterwards for 20 total. 1 died, 11 she hatched on her own, and I had to incubate the remaining 8 as they were far behind.

Have you candled the eggs recently, or do you have an incubator you could finish the hatch in? Usually mamas will abandon nest a day or two after ducklings start hatching, but I’m not sure if your mama would leave with just the one baby or not. If there’s still eggs alive and you don’t have an incubator, I’d be tempted to take Nugget away so mama can continue to focus on incubating.

 

[Fangeddeer]

About when did you notice your mama sitting on her eggs (fully committed, sitting almost all day)? And did she have all of her eggs when she first sat, or did she continue to lay for awhile?

I ask because I had a mama start sitting halfway through laying her clutch, so she sat at 10 eggs, but laid an extra 10 afterwards for 20 total. 1 died, 11 she hatched on her own, and I had to incubate the remaining 8 as they were far behind.

Have you candled the eggs recently, or do you have an incubator you could finish the hatch in? Usually mamas will abandon nest a day or two after ducklings start hatching, but I’m not sure if your mama would leave with just the one baby or not. If there’s still eggs alive and you don’t have an incubator, I’d be tempted to take Nugget away so mama can continue to focus on incubating.

I do not have an incubator, but one egg started internally pipping. And I would take nugget away but mom completely freaks out whenever he’s gone :,)
The other eggs don’t seem to be moving much, and the veins have gone to the bottom and the whole top half is no veins? That’s what nuggets egg looked like before he hatched as well.

I do still have a mini brooder that I could put nugget in if the mom abandons them though

 

[KathiQuacks]

I do not have an incubator, but one egg started internally pipping. And I would take nugget away but mom completely freaks out whenever he’s gone :,)
The other eggs don’t seem to be moving much, and the veins have gone to the bottom and the whole top half is no veins? That’s what nuggets egg looked like before he hatched as well.

I do still have a mini brooder that I could put nugget in if the mom abandons them though

Internal pip is good. Sounds like it could be a few days until siblings hatch, but as long as mama keeps sitting, you can leave them be. Make sure you’ve got food and water out nearby that Nugget can access. Always ask for a second opinion if you get to be concerned it’s taking too long / concerned mama will leave the nest (I’m not a total expert lol). I hope they hatch!

 

[Yard Farmer]

My guess is Mallard or khaki looking with some white because of that belly and face mask

I agree.