Mallard x Buff Orpington Hybrid

[Senna95]

Schatze, could you post a clearer pic? I think you might have some other genetics going on....

 

[schatze]

That was an answer to the question above: "will the females retain the mallard pattern?". Sorry for the confusion.

Ahh, OK.

Is it still too early to tell what mine are? They have a buff father and snowy mallard mother.

 

[schatze]

It's difficult to get them all standing still at once. This is from 10 days ago. They hatched 8,9 April.

If it helps, this is their father with my pekins:

And these are their mothers:

 

[Senna95]

It so still hard to tell at this age, but......

The lighter ones should be girls, and the darker ones boys.

The bibs make no sense though. How sure are you that a pekin didn't get into the mix? Sperm inside a duck can live and fertilize eggs for up to 3 weeks after they mate, so unless they were completely separated for at least 3 weeks before you even started incubating you just can't be sure.

 

[schatze]

It so still hard to tell at this age, but......

The lighter ones should be girls, and the darker ones boys.

The bibs make no sense though. How sure are you that a pekin didn't get into the mix? Sperm inside a duck can live and fertilize eggs for up to 3 weeks after they mate, so unless they were completely separated for at least 3 weeks before you even started incubating you just can't be sure.

I don't have any male pekins, and they all hatched out of mallard eggs. That's how they came to be incubated, one of my ameraucanas mistook them for her own eggs (she kicks out any eggs that aren't blue) and sat on them.

As far as adult ducks go, I have 3 snowy mallard females, 2 snowy mallard males, 1 buff male, and 3 pekin females (one is crested).

I was baffled by the dark ducklings because none of my ducks were remotely dark as ducklings. When tiny, they all had a bib, it was just more noticeable in the dark ones.

 

[NathanZee]

It's difficult to get them all standing still at once. This is from 10 days ago. They hatched 8,9 April.







If it helps, this is their father with my pekins:


And these are their mothers:

Oh wow, the parents are a lot different from mine! @Senna95 , will the ducklings from these two look anything like schatze's?

 

[Senna95]

NathanZee, yours should be similarly colored, but since (most) snowies carry dusky, and wild-type mallard's do not, yours should have more of the mallard pattern....in particular the eye stripes.

 

[NathanZee]

NathanZee, yours should be similarly colored, but since (most) snowies carry dusky, and wild-type mallard's do not, yours should have more of the mallard pattern....in particular the eye stripes.

Okay cool! They should hatch on the 29th, I can't wait!

 

[schatze]

I was hoping to have all snowies if I did ever plan to have ducklings (these were a surprise), but of course my one buff won out. He helps the snowy males try to mate with the pekins, but the poor things can't reach. Luckily for them all my pekins are very patient with the guys.

I actually hadn't ever seen my snowy girls mix with anyone, and I didn't think their eggs were fertile. When my chicken got up for water, I was on my way to removing the eggs when I candled them just in case. Two days later, they hatched. It was on that day when I saw Houdini (my buff) mating with Dorothy (one of my snowies). Life finds a way.

 

[AxolotlLove]

I was hoping to have all snowies if I did ever plan to have ducklings (these were a surprise), but of course my one buff won out. He helps the snowy males try to mate with the pekins, but the poor things can't reach. Luckily for them all my pekins are very patient with the guys.

I actually hadn't ever seen my snowy girls mix with anyone, and I didn't think their eggs were fertile. When my chicken got up for water, I was on my way to removing the eggs when I candled them just in case. Two days later, they hatched. It was on that day when I saw Houdini (my buff) mating with Dorothy (one of my snowies). Life finds a way.

Post more pics! I love seeing them!