Is this normal for Black East Indies?

[JenniferK]

I think this female is about a year and a half or two years old. She came with a male whose coloring has remained dark, but over the last few months she has ended up with a lot of white feathers. Is this normal for the breed?

 

[Kevin565]

This is common in black birds

 

[Mike Winters]

she is getting older and getting grey hairs errr feathers
like humans do

 

[JenniferK]

Do the males not do that? I think he's the same age. Or maybe he'll go bald.

 

[Mike Winters]

its kinda like the gene for baldness in humans women dont usually go bald but men do. the male ducks need 2 copys of the gene since its sex linked. its hard to explain its all techno babble stuff . so male ducks can get grey hairs on them but its rare

 

[JenniferK]

And will not all females do this?

 

[CalBells]

Interesting fact I remember reading: females who have a lot of white are more likely to breed sons with a lot of green iridescence.

 

[JulieNKC]

I've heard the females with white will breed irridescent babies too. I also think the white will increase each year. I like them, think they look like dalmation ducks.

 

[NYREDS]

I think this female is about a year and a half or two years old. She came with a male whose coloring has remained dark, but over the last few months she has ended up with a lot of white feathers. Is this normal for the breed?

Yes, it's normal although it doesn't happen to all of them. It seems to be more common with better birds. As stated females with this trait produce young with better sheen. She's a beautiful hen-great head shape.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I have one that is seven yrs old and she mostly white now. I will get her pic loaded on the new computer.