Larkwell Valley (2023)

[JacinLarkwell]

@Pyxis, could you help with duckling colors again? I might have 2 males to choose from for my mixed flock

Option 1:
Saxony Male
X
Magpie female
Pekin female
Buff female
Rouen female
Khaki female
Blue Swedish female



Option 2:
Magpie male
X
Magpie female
Pekin female
Buff female
Rouen female
Khaki female
Blue Swedish female

I know if I keep the Magpie male, I'll get pure magpies, but I think the Saxony would give more color options over all, right? I just want to try to avoid having a male that will result in almost all my hens throwing black ducklings

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@Pyxis, could you help with duckling colors again? I might have 2 males to choose from for my mixed flock

Option 1:
Saxony Male
X
Magpie female
Pekin female
Buff female
Rouen female
Khaki female
Blue Swedish female



Option 2:
Magpie male
X
Magpie female
Pekin female
Buff female
Rouen female
Khaki female
Blue Swedish female

I know if I keep the Magpie male, I'll get pure magpies, but I think the Saxony would give more color options over all, right? I just want to try to avoid having a male that will result in almost all my hens throwing black ducklings

Okay, I think I figured it out on the calculator. It looks like if I keep the magpie, everything will either look magpie or blue magpie, bit if I keep the Saxony, I'll get more colors over all, but still get a handful that kinda look like a Saxony at a glance. Correct?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

One of the birds got away, so only 6 were culled. Found the issue with the Java, and I was right, it was something I couldn't have fixed. Her knee/hock (I can't remember which one chickens have) had been damaged, so the lower part of her leg could move still (toes would grab me which is how I knew it hadn't been mareks) but not support her weight.

Big Boy charged me again, so he is on the list unfortunately. He has yet to actually spur me, but he has charged from behind multiple times and did grab me in the calf once. With his massive size, I just can't have a bird that is okay doing that when I'm doing the same thing in his pen I do every single day.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Voice seeing my calls and Magpies. I know I have a magpie trio, but I just don't know who is who, lol. Really hoping I have 3 call girls and only my 2 known males.

The runners are all sexed by color, but I might put my black male in with the other males just so I know who Lilly is until I can band her when she's full grown. Do the female blacks get the green iridescence too? Metzer only has the one photo and I can't tell on their female if she does or not

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@shawluvsbirds and @WVduckchick , do you happen to know anyone safe who ships female duckling calls? I know that some will sell sexed pairs, but I'm just looking for females most likely if I end up with 1-3 girls

 

[Canadian Wind]

Voice seeing my calls and Magpies. I know I have a magpie trio, but I just don't know who is who, lol. Really hoping I have 3 call girls and only my 2 known males.

The runners are all sexed by color, but I might put my black male in with the other males just so I know who Lilly is until I can band her when she's full grown. Do the female blacks get the green iridescence too? Metzer only has the one photo and I can't tell on their female if she does or not

Don't know if this applies in your case, with runners, but my cayuga all had the iridescence, males and females.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Don't know if this applies in your case, with runners, but my cayuga all had the iridescence, males and females.

Okay, I'll definitely just band her then. I was thinking I wouldn't need to if only the male's did, but I don't want to have to be hunting for a drake feather to know who's who if something happens to one of them

 

[Canadian Wind]

Okay, I'll definitely just band her then. I was thinking I wouldn't need to if only the male's did, but I don't want to have to be hunting for a drake feather to know who's who if something happens to one of them

Could always listen to who quacks?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Could always listen to who quacks?

Yeah, but when there's a ton of noisy girls, I'd have to pick them up to hold next to my ear to listen

 

[skeeeter]

...or you could separate them off a bit from the majority, throw them single "treats" and listen for the drakes. IMO it's easier to listen for the drakes in a big group (if there are less of them).