Khaki Campbells, Rouens or what?

[KansasKid]

These are odd looking. in the duckling picture and teenage picture they look like KC but in the adult picture they look like a mallard cross, KC shouldn't have any of the gray like a mallard they should be all brownish "khaki"

 

[Wifezilla]

Here are pics of a khaki drake I used to have.

 

[rollyard]

They are Dark Duskies, similar to Dark Campbells, although yours look more like the "Mallard" breed, ie, Dark Mallards than Campbell type to me? Khaki have the addition of brown dilution genes. They are clearly dusky - note absence of eye-stripes & dorsal spots on ducklings down with pigment extended quite evenly all over. As adults, ducks (females) lack eye-stripes, & drakes the neck ring & claret bib.

 

[QuailQT]

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Those teenagers are my drakes though they do look like females in that grow out stage, don't they? These are the only two ducks I've ever had until 2 weeks ago when I got 3 blue swede babies.



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Very interesting! Thank you for the info! I did a search for dark campbells and found this site....http://www.ashtonwaterfowl.net/campbell_colours.htm

Here is my next question after reading over this info. It sounds like (from what you've mentioned and what my KC's look like) that they are missing the brown dilution gene. Do you think that there is a real possibility that I could use them to breed for Blue Campbells since both of my drakes seem to be missing the brown gene? Since it sounds like it is really hard to breed out of them, it sounds like I would be a step ahead since (hopefully) I have two KC drakes without it.

Where could I find a blue campbell duck to see what would happen? Know of any blue campbell breeders? I would love to have a flock of the blues!

 

[QuailQT]

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Gorgeous birds you have there!

That's what I wanted when I picked these boys out of the bin at TSC.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[KansasKid]

I think those colors are only in the UK right now, unless its one of those deals where the breeds are the same but names are different, possible like there apricot campbell is our Buff's???? I don't know if there is a distinct difference it would be cool to have them. if you find any be sure to post the source back here for the rest of us.

 

[rollyard]

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Yes, the difference genetically (colour-wise) going on "what we can see" (beware the hidden recessives) between your "Dark Dusky Mallards" (Dark Campbell in the Campbell breed) & "Brown Dusky Mallards" (Kharki Campbell in the Campbell breed) is the sex-linked recessive brown dilution gene. Being a recessive, & because drakes require two of the sex-linked brown recessive genes (alleles) for the colour trait to express, it is possible that they carry one dose of the brown gene hidden (d/D+), so can't assume that they don't have brown dilution just going on colour (unless tested or you know their breeding?)! Just as an aside, colour alone doesn't make the breed though; although your birds are beauties, they don't look typically like the Campbells I am familiar with type-wise to me?

Although type & possible unwanted recessives may make them less than the ideal birds to start a program for breeding Blue &/or Apricot Campbells, they (your drake/s) could still provide a starting point if a pure well bred Dark Campbell drake cannot be sourced. I have a program in progress for breeding Blue/Apricot Campbells (to my knowledge they don't exist here either), & I started with less than the ideal bird on one side of the mating in one line, & neither bird in the other line were to type/colour!

When you look @ the Ashton' site http://www.ashtonwaterfowl.net/campbell_colours.htm can you see what you need to do to turn your Dark Duskies into Blue/Apricot Campbells, or put another way, how do you think you could go about breeding your Blue Campbells starting with the Drakes that you have on one side of the mating? Any ideas?? Blue/Apricot Campbells are very nice & like you, I look forward to having some also!