Mare's Illegal Cute-ness (Call Duck) Chat Thread!!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

The Snowy pattern is wildtype mallard plus a recessive gene, so a Gray pair certainly could produce that if both are carrying that recessive gene.

I honestly don't know how color leaking works with ducks as I have no experience there, but spitballing off what I know of color leakage in chickens... Extended black, E, is the gene that causes solid color all over in ducks, dominant to the wildtype, e+, that is the mallard pattern. Maybe a duck that is E/e+ split, perhaps with other genes at play as well, could have enough color leakage to look similar to an e+/e+ duck rather than being solid-colored? Pure speculation on my part! But something similar can happen in chickens. For example, when you cross a Buff Orpington to a Black Australorp in chickens, the solid black coloring of the Australorp (also caused by extended black, E, in chickens) is the dominant trait, but the offspring get so much color leakage from the Buff side of the cross that they often end up looking more Buff than Black.

 

[muddy75]

Gave the ducklings the dog kennel as a brooder. The tote was just too much constant mess and I switched tote over to a bantam brooder

 

[shawluvsbirds]

The Snowy pattern is wildtype mallard plus a recessive gene, so a Gray pair certainly could produce that if both are carrying that recessive gene.

I honestly don't know how color leaking works with ducks as I have no experience there, but spitballing off what I know of color leakage in chickens... Extended black, E, is the gene that causes solid color all over in ducks, dominant to the wildtype, e+, that is the mallard pattern. Maybe a duck that is E/e+ split, perhaps with other genes at play as well, could have enough color leakage to look similar to an e+/e+ duck rather than being solid-colored? Pure speculation on my part! But something similar can happen in chickens. For example, when you cross a Buff Orpington to a Black Australorp in chickens, the solid black coloring of the Australorp (also caused by extended black, E, in chickens) is the dominant trait, but the offspring get so much color leakage from the Buff side of the cross that they often end up looking more Buff than Black.

Well and here's my deal... if you don't know the exact genetics behind your parent stock how could you ever truly know what "color" they are/should be. Some of the colors are so similiar it's hard to spot the difference and then you get these non standard colors that pop up.
The only way to really figure it out would be to know enough about what colors should produce what and experiment with a breeding program.

 

[Hayden Goseek]

 

[WVduckchick]

Thanks! Its interesting because the gray girl's parents (not mine) hatched out some random snowy females last year so her parents are a bag of tricks to start with. Since getting her she is with two what I thought were gray males. Maybe one is more blue fawn like and he is the one I see her with? I dunno. Any which way they are all adorable! I was just surprised when out hatched the little blue bibbed duckling.

Even if she sticks to mainly one drake, others will always take advantage of any opportunity to swoop in and mate her if possible. At least all my boys sure would. Lol
Or could another hen have laid the egg?

The best way to tell grey from blue fawn in the drakes is head color. Greys have green head, blue fawns have dark charcoal head. Their bodies often look very similar, just more subtle differences.

 

[muddy75]

Ginger sneaked a pheasant egg into this clutch

 

[Strawberry74]

Even if she sticks to mainly one drake, others will always take advantage of any opportunity to swoop in and mate her if possible. At least all my boys sure would. Lol
Or could another hen have laid the egg?

The best way to tell grey from blue fawn in the drakes is head color. Greys have green head, blue fawns have dark charcoal head. Their bodies often look very similar, just more subtle differences.
View attachment 3515667

In the picture below she is next to her chosen mate. His head seems darker, but still does have a slight green sheen. Whereas, the other fellow has a bright green sheen. He tends to stick with the 2 full size girls though he isn't accomplishing anything

 

[WVduckchick]

In the picture below she is next to her chosen mate. His head seems darker, but still does have a slight green sheen. Whereas, the other fellow has a bright green sheen. He tends to stick with the 2 full size girls though he isn't accomplishing anything

Lovely!
She looks kinda light though, so I wonder if one of her parents was bibbed. The drake closer to her does appear to be blue fawn to me. Maybe @pipdzipdnreadytogo can comment on that possibility, if the hen had a bibbed parent. I’m 99.9% sure that grey/blue fawn/pastel is the basic equivalent to black/blue/splash in chickens.
Or another thought, maybe she had one snowy parent?

 

[WVduckchick]

Ginger sneaked a pheasant egg into this clutch

Are you gonna let her hatch it?

 

[Strawberry74]

Lovely!
She looks kinda light though, so I wonder if one of her parents was bibbed. The drake closer to her does appear to be blue fawn to me. Maybe @pipdzipdnreadytogo can comment on that possibility, if the hen had a bibbed parent. I’m 99.9% sure that grey/blue fawn/pastel is the basic equivalent to black/blue/splash in chickens.
Or another thought, maybe she had one snowy parent?

Her parents are both traditional looking grays so who knows I guess. They are pet quality so likely not bred 100% true. It doesn't matter to me really since mine call duck addiction is just for fun. Just curious. I appreciate all your help! Its fun to see what hatches!