Color Genetics of Ancona Ducks.

[erlinda100]

Hi, First time posting today. I have four Ancona ducks. 2 black and white, 1 female Chocolate Ancona, and one blue male Ancona. I have read brown is a sex linked color. So I figure my female was from a Chocolate Drake x black female. Does anyone know what I would get from mating the Chocolate female with the Blue Male? I know black is dominate to all other colors, and if I read right the brown comes next and then blue? Any help would be great. Also I wonder what you get from Chocolate x chocolate mating, or mating a blue male to a blue female.
Thanks Erlinda

 

[StevenW.]

Quote:
You could also get some other colors from those matings because a Black could be hideing Blue, Lavendar, Chocolate, and even a Tri-Color in their genes.

 

[Senna95]

"1 female Chocolate Ancona, and one blue male Ancona. I have read brown is a sex linked color. So I figure my female was from a Chocolate Drake x black female"

Your female would have one brown dilution gene inherited from dad. The mom could have been chocolate, black, or even blue (assuming she didn't contribute her one available blue dilution gene)


"Does anyone know what I would get from mating the Chocolate female with the Blue Male"

Chocolate female would donate either one brown dilution gene to her male offsping, and none to her female offspring. The blue male would not donate any brown dilution genes (THIS IS ASSUMING THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE A RECESSIVE BROWN DILUTION GENE HIDING UNDERNEATH). He would however donate one blue dilution gene to about half of his offspring. the results would be:
25% single brown dilution, single blue dilution males (blue)
25% single brown dilution, no blue dilution males (black)
25% no brown dilution, single blue dilution females (blue)
25% no brown dilution, single blue dilution females (blue)
All of the males would be carriers of the brown dilution gene which they can pass along to their offsring.


"I know black is dominate to all other colors, and if I read right the brown comes next and then blue"

Actually, they all act together. The black gene turns all feather black. Add one blue dilution gene, and you get the color "blue". Add one more blue dilution gene and you get a color called "silver", or "splash"

And then, Black with a double dose of brown dilution (in males) and a single dose of brown dilution (in females) turn black into "chocolate".

Now Chocolate, along with a single blue dilution becomes "lilac", and with a double dose of blue becomes "lavender".

It's a bit confusing with the sex-linked gene in there. Hope this helps.

 

[darkenangel21]

I got my husband Ancona Ducks for Easter and was wanting to know if anyone knew how to tell the difference between the females and males? I understand from the breeder that I bought them off that they can have up to a hundred eggs a year per female. So I wanted to know how many females I have to know how many ducks I have to worry about. Thanks.

Ann

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Males have a drake curl on the tail and go whasp, females have a loud QUACK and no tail curl. Other than DNA sexing or vent sexing you have to wait for eggs or the drake curls to show up.

 

[glowworm2011]

Ann,

Congratulations on your duckies. How many did you get? How old are they? I just got 2 anconas a few weeks ago and they should be about 10/11 weeks old. One of mine is now quaking so I'm sure shes a female. the other one still peeps but I'm hoping "she's" a girl too, I'm thinking she is.

Often the males are larger than the females. Where I got mine I had four ducklings to choose from. They were hatched at the same time and two were big and two were small. So I took the two small ones.

I would expect you to get more than 100 eggs per duck each year. Depending on the duck and her environment, I believe about 200-300 eggs per year is the average for Anconas. They are great layers all year round.

 

[lillypad268]

http://worthitfarms.jigsy.com/ancona-colors an interesting read