Buyer's Remorse - are my new Anconas actually a cross? Experts weigh in please!

[harriedhomemaker]

I've been corresponding back and forth with a lady about buying four young female Anconas. I met her today and brought home the birds. They looked fine to me but it was dark and rainy and, to be honest, I was a bit distracted.

Now that I've gotten a good look at them, I'm worried they are actually a mix of Ancona and something else. They have some bright green feathers on their wings.




To me, it's not the green sheen you get on black feathers (like on my Australorp chicken). But I am new to raising ducks so I am hopefully wrong!











What do you think?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I've been corresponding back and forth with a lady about buying four young female Anconas. I met her at a swap meet today and brought home the birds. They looked fine to me at the swap meet but it was dark and rainy and, to be honest, I was a bit distracted.

Now that I've gotten a good look at them, I'm worried they are actually a mix of Ancona and something else. They have some bright green feathers on their wings.




To me, it's not the green sheen you get on black feathers (like on my Australorp chicken). But I am new to raising ducks so I am hopefully wrong!











What do you think?

I think they are beautiful, but i am no Anconas expert.

 

[harriedhomemaker]

I think they are beautiful, but i am no Anconas expert.

I agree. I will keep them regardless, but it puts a crimp in my plan to breed Anconas!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I agree. I will keep them regardless, but it puts a crimp in my plan to breed Anconas!

Hopefully the experts will be here shortly to give you the advise your looking for. Mean while maybe google can help out.

 

[NovaAman]

They are lovely...

 

[Kevin565]

http://islanderranch.weebly.com/ancona-ducks.html

 

[Miss Lydia]

http://islanderranch.weebly.com/ancona-ducks.html

I see green on their wings!!!

 

[Kevin565]

I see green on their wings!!!

Me too. I think almost any breed that has black feathers has some metallic green sheen to them. I think it has something to do with light.

 

[harriedhomemaker]

http://islanderranch.weebly.com/ancona-ducks.html

Thank you! I feel much better now.

My 7 week old black Ancona doesn't have any green, but maybe that's because he is young.

 

[NovaAman]

I found this picture from user Mellybelly... She posted last year about this same thing. I copied a picture from the ducks, and seems this is a natural thing..

As you can see, this one has much more green sheen along with some purple sheen.