Duckling Genetics

Malainee

In the Brooder
Mar 31, 2020
8
14
34
Last year my family bought 8 ducks. Supposedly they were 4 Welsh Harlequin and 4 Rouen. One of the Harlequins (maybe even 2?) we believe to be crossed based on their adult coloring. I'm guessing all 8 of the ducks probably have a little of each, because the drakes (both supposedly Rouen) are beginning to get some white feathering around their faces and chests.

Anyway, we let the ducks sit on some nests and hatch some eggs, and they hatched 26 ducklings!! (Two have been trampled by other ducks/animals 😞). 17 look like the "pure" Rouens we expected 1/3 of the clutch to be, 3 look like what we expected the harlequin crosses to be, and 4 took us by surprise as being almost or completely yellow!

Just interesting observations so far with these guys.
 
Last year my family bought 8 ducks. Supposedly they were 4 Welsh Harlequin and 4 Rouen. One of the Harlequins (maybe even 2?) we believe to be crossed based on their adult coloring. I'm guessing all 8 of the ducks probably have a little of each, because the drakes (both supposedly Rouen) are beginning to get some white feathering around their faces and chests.

Anyway, we let the ducks sit on some nests and hatch some eggs, and they hatched 26 ducklings!! (Two have been trampled by other ducks/animals 😞). 17 look like the "pure" Rouens we expected 1/3 of the clutch to be, 3 look like what we expected the harlequin crosses to be, and 4 took us by surprise as being almost or completely yellow!

Just interesting observations so far with these guys.
Interesting, pictures please.
 
Things got super busy for a bit and now they are starting to grow in their adult feathers so I wasn't able to grab any good pictures. We have 2 more clutches on the way now though, one from our last harlequin and one from our other rouen, so it'll be interesting to see what happens with them and I'll be sure to grab some pictures when they hatch.

Also, I think I learned why the drakes are looking funky! Today I read a post here about their eclipse plumage. Ducks are so interesting, lol.
 

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