Looking for insight into black dusky vs black bibbed ducklings

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

I think that's it then - she's probably not actually dusky and the white is sort of her 'bib', but it's just not a well-patterned bib. If she had it at four months old, she must have feathered in with it, I would think.

White can come in on solid birds as they age, but it takes until their first serious molt at after a year old to start coming in, often longer than that. Older cayugas can end up turning almost all white.

That's interesting, thanks! I actually bought her as a Cayuga from a farm, but her size and walk look more like a Runner and I think she's a mix, so she could have any surprising genes.

 

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

I think that's it then - she's probably not actually dusky and the white is sort of her 'bib', but it's just not a well-patterned bib. If she had it at four months old, she must have feathered in with it, I would think.

White can come in on solid birds as they age, but it takes until their first serious molt at after a year old to start coming in, often longer than that. Older cayugas can end up turning almost all white.

This is the duckling again, now fully feathered, and her bib does look a lot like her mother's markings except that they're actually on her chest.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

It seems that what started as a bib on my runner settled into a pattern similar to your duck.

 

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

It seems that what started as a bib on my runner settled into a pattern similar to your duck.

Yes, it looks like the same mottled bib but going all the way down its belly. That looks like it will be a cool duck!

 

[Pollo Blanco]

Yes, it looks like the same mottled bib but going all the way down its belly. That looks like it will be a cool duck!

It was egg #28; first hatched!