Much needed duck and drake advice please

[Anna Ranieri]

Eclipse is when a Drake loses his colours and begins to look like a Hen. He loses his Drake feathers in his tail. His interest in the Hens is gone. That lasts a few months and then he begins to get his fancy Drake colours back and his hormones too..That's called Nuptial plumage..He will look like that all during breeding season..

Thank you, I didn't know this! May I ask please, mine are still changing colour from growing their adult feathers and haven't yet lost all their baby colours i.e. our eldest was completely black as a chick his head is on the way to changing green, back feathers are still changing from black to white - will he establish his colours before he takes on a hen look? Also our younger drake has always been a hen colour from birth, he has feathers gradually changing too, green appearing on head - back wings gradually changing to white but will his tummy remain hen colour?

 

[chickens really]

That's a juvenile molt..They will get the Drake colours and next spring after breeding season the Drakes will go into eclipse molt and look like Hens.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Are you talking about all domestic ducks @chickens really? Because OP has Runners and they don't do the changing like Calls and others do.

 

[chickens really]

Are you talking about all domestic ducks @chickens really? Because OP has Runners and they don't do the changing like Calls and others do.

Yes..All Ducks .. Its easier to see on Ducks with green or darker heads. When my Ancona Call Drake is in eclipse he really doesn't look much different except no Drake feathers.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I guess that is why I have never noticed it with my Blk Runner drake he always looks the same.

 

[chickens really]

I guess that is why I have never noticed it with my Blk Runner drake he always looks the same.

Yes...Your right...

 

[llombardo]

Interesting. My khakis are change colors, the make and female. It reminds of leaves on a tree in the fall and then in the spring..

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I guess that is why I have never noticed it with my Blk Runner drake he always looks the same.

Mine are Mallard type Runners, My eldest was born black but now is turning light grey and white - big difference lol

 

[chickens really]

Mine are Mallard type Runners, My eldest was born black but now is turning light grey and white - big difference lol

What your seeing is juvenile molt after downy feathers were replaced with Baby feathers. Now they will grow in the actual adult colours they are meant to be...Then after breeding season the Drakes will eclipse...

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Yes..All Ducks .. Its easier to see on Ducks with green or darker heads. When my Ancona Call Drake is in eclipse he really doesn't look much different except no Drake feathers.

This is fascinating - really looking forward to experiencing all this with my boys - I know wild mallard heads turn blue during mating - mine are Mallard type Runners does this mean my Runners heads will turn blue too? Also will they lose their actual drake curl feather during eclipse?