Finally, two ducklings hatch instead of one.

[chickmama29h]

Thank you for asking! They were three weeks old yesterday. Today, the brown one started making sounds which I hope are early quacks. Unfortunately, my last drake duckling made a similar sound and fooled me and others. So, I am cautiously optimistic. Their bills have moderate curves which could be better, but it is a start. They are just starting to get their real feathers. I think the light one might be blue dusky pied with dominant bib . The dark one seems to be dusky with dominant bib. If you think otherwise I would love to know.
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In my brief research, it seems that the ones with more pronounced curves in their bills are actually less fertile. Some kind of negative gene thing.

 

[chickmama29h]

I would love that. I know they have a ways to go. All the Hookbills in the US are descended from the flock Holderread imported many years ago. They have been out-bred to other breeds to increase genetic variability, that is why the colors are not standard. We do not yet have any standards for Hookbills here.

If you wouldn’t mind asking about my drakes too. These are the three drakes I hatched this summer. Their bills are all straight. I believe they are all dusky, heterozygous for recessive bib. The last, youngest one, is also chocolate. He is in the process of getting his big boy feathers as he is 3 months old. I can only keep one or maybe two drakes. Currently, everyone gets along (I have 4 other older females of various breeds), but hormones are still low. Next spring could be a mess.

Pickles:
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Noodles
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Skittles
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Question about dusky hookbills: Our hookbill that just hatched is very dark colored and has jet black feet. It has a bit lighter belly, but still dark. He is basically black with a bit of an olive sheen, and totally black feet. What color can we expect? Do the feet change color? All the duskies I am seeing in pictures have yellow feet.