Mystery Duck (Possible Ancona or mix??)

[trinity537]

We adopted this duck yesterday. Her previous humans claimed she was incubated from Ancona eggs. She was the lone duck hatched, and is supposedly 13 weeks. Yesterday was the first time she saw other ducks. And maybe even grass.

She's super sweet and affectionate. I'm concerned about her lack of duck-ness. She also seems less oiled than our other ducks were at the same age, and I'm worried that she won't be water resistant enough before our winter.

She does reach back for her gland after a bath, but I don't know if it's enough. ??

Would appreciate any and all input. Thanks in advance.

After a bath....soaked through and through!

 

[Amiga]

Something about her looks just a little runner-ish to me. But that coloring - could be rouen mix. Not full ancona, unless there is a coloring I am unaware of. Anconas have spots, not the kind of patches and body color this beauty has.

Check her preen gland - it may be clogged, or she may not have received the kinds of nutrients she needs. I would add a tablespoon of flaxseed meal to her food once or twice a day, and even a couple of tablespoons of good quality dry cat kibble, for the protein, vitamin D and other nutrients that may help her feather condition.

So cute!

 

[trinity537]

Something about her looks just a little runner-ish to me. But that coloring - could be rouen mix. Not full ancona, unless there is a coloring I am unaware of. Anconas have spots, not the kind of patches and body color this beauty has.

Check her preen gland - it may be clogged, or she may not have received the kinds of nutrients she needs. I would add a tablespoon of flaxseed meal to her foot once or twice a day, and even a couple of tablespoons of good quality dry cat kibble, for the protein, vitamin D and other nutrients that may help her feather condition.

So cute!

Thank you so much for responding!! I see a bit of runner in her also, though not at all in her general stance. Our mixed flock has runners from 2 different sources.... and her stance and stature is no where near as tall and slender as the ducklings we brooded, yet closer to our inherited 'Runners'. The pictures I uploaded unfortunately do not showcase her scale. She's somewhere between our runners and our Pekin. She's a big baby in more ways than one. Her large amount of color in general leads me to think she's certainly a mix, because the Ancona's I've seen have lots less color and are really more 'spotted' than she is.

I am now most concerned about her oil levels as we approach our fall and winter. I will be able to inspect her gland fairly easily since she is so used to being handled and loved on by humans. And it should be no trouble for me to find flaxseed meal. I'm not sure about what quality dry cat kibble values are, or what to look for... Would they be similar to something like Nutrena's Feather Fixer? Researching that next...

We are really very new to ducks, and poultry in general. But I think she's had the duck nearly nurtured right out of her and I'm worried that her instincts won't kick in before winter.

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. It is very much appreciated.

 

[learycow]

Could be an ancona cross. I say cross because yes, you can get penciled tri color anconas like this one, but not with a yellow bill. They are either spotted or a very very pale color. I've never seen one in my years of breeding or research that had a bright yellow bill like your duck. So chances are that if they tri color comes from ancona genes, shes crossed with another breed such as a runner (possible as she does look small and long bodied)

 

[trinity537]

Could be an ancona cross. I say cross because yes, you can get penciled tri color anconas like this one, but not with a yellow bill. They are either spotted or a very very pale color. I've never seen one in my years of breeding or research that had a bright yellow bill like your duck. So chances are that if they tri color comes from ancona genes, shes crossed with another breed such as a runner (possible as she does look small and long bodied)

Thank you for your input as well. With the lacing on her chest, as well as the beetle sheen on her back beneath her wings and on her head, I'm wondering if she's *something* crossed with a Rouen. She's not as deep-bodied as a Rouen. And I'm even starting to wonder if she's a she. Because she is so used to human handling, she doesn't make a sound in protest when held at all. When we have heard her, I wouldn't describe her voice as raspy yet though. She's just really quiet. One of our Runner girls is quiet too though.....while the others QUACK when we call them. We aren't going for breeding quality here (yet....), because as of now, all our birds are pets with benefits (eggs). She's a sweetie and a keeper no matter what breed she is. And if she is really a he, we'll still keep him. Thanks again.

 

[trinity537]

@Amiga

Thanks again for your helpful suggestions. I brought her inside for a warm bath, inspected her gland, and was able to feel the oil. In the days since her warm bath, and the feeding recommendations, she has improved so much. We are still keeping a close eye on her though. Our setup for a pond in their run is raised, and she still needs help getting up the ramp to the water. So we will continue to try to 'train' her to find the pond. She is getting used to the grass and foraging finally.

At this point, I'm guessing her previous diet and possible lack of bathing opportunities is the culprit of her wet feather situation because it seems to be righting itself with only very basic treatment.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Jopike2006]

We adopted this duck yesterday. Her previous humans claimed she was incubated from Ancona eggs. She was the lone duck hatched, and is supposedly 13 weeks. Yesterday was the first time she saw other ducks. And maybe even grass.

She's super sweet and affectionate. I'm concerned about her lack of duck-ness. She also seems less oiled than our other ducks were at the same age, and I'm worried that she won't be water resistant enough before our winter.

She does reach back for her gland after a bath, but I don't know if it's enough. ??

Would appreciate any and all input. Thanks in advance.

After a bath....soaked through and through!

I’m sure this is the same as our ducklings that I’ve been trying to figure out , ours mum is Ancona and Dad is silver apple yard xx

 

[MyParadiseFalls]

I’m sure this is the same as our ducklings that I’ve been trying to figure out , ours mum is Ancona and Dad is silver apple yard xx

this thread is from 2014