Aztec Ducks!

[Crestcrazy2]

One week ago my Aztecs hatched.

View attachment 2173247 One week old Blue Pearl

View attachment 2173246 Everyone relaxing across two heaters.

Their too cute , I want them so bad !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

These are amazing, Pyxis, as we’re sort of neighbors I hope some day I can see your Aztecs, I am fascinated by the breeding going on here.

 

[WilderWoods]

@Knighstar679 - they look like they are doing so well! Our hens are broody or raising their own ducklings now, and egg supply has dropped to near zero! We let them all go broody this year to see how many would want to raise a clutch, and it seems like 80% went for it! Most of them are fantastic mothers and one pair of ducks adopted ducklings from a young duck who was not fully attentive to her brood. In the past, we've done all the incubation and brooding, which produces fewer ducklings and is so much more work on our part. That left the ducks laying all summer into the fall, but it looks like our duck egg supply is grinding to a halt this year! One interesting thing we've noticed is that ducklings from the first backcross to a mallard appear to be a bit darker as ducklings. The second generation blue ducklings are a shade lighter, but they need to be side by side to really tell the difference. I'm not sure how the complex genetic expressions are working and we did start with a good degree of variation in the porcelain when we started the project years ago, so it has been fascinating to watch and take notes as we've moved through the breeding plan. The second generation blue ducklings that hatched earliest in the season are fully grown now, and although their feather colors will continue to develop into the fall, they are expressing more blue than the parent blue stock and the fawn/brown lacing on blue over the back is just stunning! We're also hoping the backcross, 2nd generation porcelain ducklings will present more of the lacing pattern as well. All of this lacing is on the females of course. For the males, we're hoping to improve neck ring definition and full chestnut breast color that is defined to the chest. Loving this project, and really appreciate the work the group is doing - what a team!

 

[Pyxis]

The second generation blue ducklings are a shade lighter, but they need to be side by side to really tell the difference. I'm not sure how the complex genetic expressions are working and we did start with a good degree of variation in the porcelain when we started the project years ago, so it has been fascinating to watch and take notes as we've moved through the breeding plan.

That lighter blue makes sense As you breed blues/silvers together, they can get lighter. Eventually this way, you can end up with, for example, a duck that is genetically silver but looks white, aside from a dark beak. @WVduckchick had a Call hen like that.

 

[Pyxis]

Me and @WilderWoods met up today Responsibly socially distancing and wearing masks of course, haha.

I got six Porcelain ducklings from him, and also nine more eggs! I'll be putting those into the incubator in a little bit here.

 

[Knighstar679]

Me and @WilderWoods met up today Responsibly socially distancing and wearing masks of course, haha.

I got six Porcelain ducklings from him, and also nine more eggs! I'll be putting those into the incubator in a little bit here.

I really want to get 8-10 more eggs to hatch this year so that I have about 16 to start with. But it sounds like that’s going to be hard to get this year.

 

[Pyxis]

I really want to get 8-10 more eggs to hatch this year so that I have about 16 to start with. But it sounds like that’s going to be hard to get this year.

Yeah, all the birds at his place have gone broody, so laying has tapered way down. These eggs were just kind of the last ones in two nests he cleaned out, and brought them to see if I wanted to try them.

 

[Knighstar679]

Yeah, all the birds at his place have gone broody, so laying has tapered way down. These eggs were just kind of the last ones in two nests he cleaned out, and brought them to see if I wanted to try them.

I did notice that the blue pearls come out with similar markings as a mallard. If someone wasn’t paying attention to the grey/blue tinge to the feathers you might mistaken it for one.

 

[Ratchnick]

How many years will this project take?

 

[Pyxis]

Eight of the nine eggs are developing! More baby Aztecs on the way