Duck Breed Focus - Magpie

[Wobbles]

It coukd also just be a poorly colored one. I think further up this page or on the Ancona thread there was a breeder and they sometimes got more solid chicks but it's not desirable. More broken is. Where did you get them from?

That is true. A friend raises them (all he has so they are pure for sure) and one came out almost solid black.

 

[ShrekDawg]

That is true. A friend raises them (all he has so they are pure for sure) and one came out almost solid black.

Yeah, i think its still pretty common. Not sure why. But definitely possible

 

[Jujubeans2008]

It coukd also just be a poorly colored one. I think further up this page or on the Ancona thread there was a breeder and they sometimes got more solid chicks but it's not desirable. More broken is. Where did you get them from?

I got them from a small hatchery in Robertsdale Alabama.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I got them from a small hatchery in Robertsdale Alabama.

Ahh okay. Cause I thought maybe they told you what breeds you had or you ordered something specific? They didn't? Or were you judt trying to figure out what out of the chicks is what?

 

[Jujubeans2008]

The owner wasn't there. She had a family emergency, so a family member came over and took over. She was knowledgeable about chickens, but not ducks. So, I just picked out different looking ducklings. So, I got these ducklings having no clue what species they were. But we drove an hour away to get them, so we weren't turning around. Haha.

 

[ShrekDawg]

The owner wasn't there.  She had a family emergency, so a family member came over and took over.   She was knowledgeable about chickens, but not ducks.  So, I just picked out different looking ducklings.  So, I got these ducklings having no clue what species they were.  But we drove an hour away to get them, so we weren't turning around.  Haha. 

Ohhhg okay, that makes sense!! I thought maybe you ordered them hah

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Can you guys please tell me if these two are Magpie ducklings?
This first one has a brown heart marking on it's head.

The first one looks like an Ancona. The second one looks like it may be a poorly colored magpie.

One of the reasons that some breeders give up on breeding Magpies is that it is so hard to get them perfectly colored. I have many that are on the better side color wise, and more then half of the eggs that I hatch have to much color.

 

[Jujubeans2008]

Thank you! Are they bred poorly because of the breeder, or does it just not always "work out?" I don't want to continue to do business with them if they are doing something "wrong." That tells me that they aren't taking care of their animals, and that's something I don't want to support. My chickens and ducks, as well as the rest of my animals are my pets. <3

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Thank you! Are they bred poorly because of the breeder, or does it just not always "work out?" I don't want to continue to do business with them if they are doing something "wrong." That tells me that they aren't taking care of their animals, and that's something I don't want to support. My chickens and ducks, as well as the rest of my animals are my pets. <3

They aren't poorly bread just poorly colored. Magpies are very hard to breed the correct color patterns. They cold have the best blood lines and the best colored ducks and still hatch over colored ducks. It is very hard to hatch SOP colored ducks

 

[Jujubeans2008]

That's so good to know. Thank you!