Are my mallards a mix?

[floyd242]

I thought maybe they would moult and get darker, but my mallards have always been a lighter color than most of the other ones I have seen on here. Now my drake has a almost black head so I'm thinking they may just be a mix. Any idea?

 

[lovesgliders]

I'm no expert, but they look like Welsh Harlequins to me. Very pretty!

 

[dumb_cluck]

Check websites that sell ducks especially Hollerreads. They look like snowy mallards(at least the male) the female has interesting stripes on the head above the eyes.........

 

[floyd242]

Here they are when they were ducklings, if it helps.

 

[kswaterfowl]

They aren't snowy Mallards, we've raised snowy Mallards for years. They look like appleyard bantams in my opinion. In bantams, the drakes don't always have the white on their faces like you find in the larger versions of appleyards and the hens look very typical to what your hen does. Appleyard bantams are quite rare, but there are a fair number of them out there, making it likely that could be what you have. You can get that same color pattern in mixes, but its fairly hard to get it without having all the right genes, so my guess would be that you actually do have some Silver Appleyard bantams there. Hope that helps.
K&S

 

[AnDrEw&Cole]

In my opinion i think they look just like welsh harlewuin the ducklings do too but im not for sure...

 

[floyd242]

I think it's funny that I may never know... they do look like bantam appleyards, especially the head stripes on the hens. Although they don't look very "bantam", I need to weigh one of them.

I got them on a whim at a poultry show in newnan when I was picking up my Marans and was so caught up in the action that I completely forgot to ask what kind they were.

 

[DuckLover2399]

They definatly ARENT mallards they looklike welsh harlequins to me. Ask duckyfromoz

 

[dumb_cluck]

Here's what my welshies looked as babies.

Yours look more mallard like.

This is what mine look like now. (Welsh Harlequins)

 

[kswaterfowl]

Those are NOT Welsh Harlequins, they are mixed up hatchery ducks. Are they Metzer birds? The middle bird is pied and the hen on the right is not harlequin patterned. Can't tell about the other hen. Its very similar to the EasterEgger/Ameraucana argument, but trust me those birds in the original post look more like Silver Appleyard bantams and since they were purchased at a show, I would say its even more likely.

Here are Welsh Harlequin ducklings.

Here are Welsh Harlequin adults.