Pics Baby Silky's, Australian Spotted, and White Runners.

[OmaBird]

I got the last of my Holderread order today. I got everything I ordered except my penceled runners. I did say they could sub white runners and tyhat what they did. I ok with that since I also got 3 in my assortment three weeks ago. They where very good quality. What came to day was 8 silky's and 8 spotties and 4 white runners and one extra runner. I wanted two freebies but I guess it is late in the year. All of these where from there exibition breedings. It is kind of sad the yaer is over for ordering. I love getting stuff in the mail.

I have only had one silky before. Does anyone know if this dark bill on the light colored one is just a different color or a way of sexing them like on the Welsh Harlequines?

My white runner picture didn't come out good. I will take another after there nap. They are tired.

 

[chickenlisa]

Very cute! They are so little...enjoy them while that lasts!

 

[OmaBird]

On the spotties do you think that is two different colors or three.

 

[chickenlisa]

That's hard to tell for sure....it looks like 2. But I may be wrong. I've got a wider range of colors in mine outside now, but still don't know for sure what I'll get when they feather out.

 

[OmaBird]

That was my first thought then I did question that one at thje bottom of the picture. I hate waiting to know.

Thanks,

 

[CityChicker]

You have three Blue Head. The rest are Greenhead. The amount of white varies depending on whether or not the birds are dark phase, light phase, light phase split harlequin phase, or harlequin phase. Aussies come in a minimum of 9 different genotypes (actually phenotypes as well). Supposedly, the birds that have the ideal plumage are the light phase/harlequin phase (li/li^h). If you breed two such birds together, you will get three different genotypes- 25% light phase, 50% light split harlequin, 25% harlequin). This also does not account for the blue dilution that further results in even more colors- Green, Blue, Silver in all of the above. You have a mix of dark and light Greens and dark and light Blues, no Silvers. Should be a great mix of colors as they mature!

In theory, you should not get any dark phase babies, but in reality you do (I've had several hatch this year). The reasons for why you do would require a much more lengthy post. At any rate, whatever color they are, they are beautiful ducks. I got my first Aussies 8-10 years ago and we have been hooked ever since. Part of the fun with them is breeding a pair together and having a nest full of different color babies!

 

[CityChicker]

Oh, and the one that I think you are asking about will probably be a light phase Blue or the desired light phase/split harlequin phase Blue. I have been trying this year to keep more detailed records of which down patterns develops into which plumage color/pattern and I strongly suspect that those are the babies that are split harlequin phase (i.e. the classic "spotted" appearance as adults). It is harder than it seems considering they hatch in SO MANY slight variations of down color, LOL.

 

[chickenlisa]

Wow- I"m learning from these posts too. I thought the colors were just Green heads, Blue heads and Silver heads. Now I'm going to have to do some more reading...CityChicker, can you post a website that can explain all the color dilutions and variations please? My 8 babies range from all light yellow down to almost all dark down with eye stripes.

 

[OmaBird]

This is great. I love genetics and color breeding. I would love hearing more if you care to share. Genetics is one of the big reasons I have poulty or most any of my animals. I see some simularities in from my years of breeding Budgies. With them we also have modifiing genes that brighten and darken the birds. I have some color projects going with my turkeys. I will also take pictures and band the ducks to keep records.

So if you breed light phase to the harlequin is it 100% light split harlequin?

In theory, you should not get any dark phase babies, but in reality you do (I've had several hatch this year). The reasons for why you do would require a much more lengthy post.

I got to know. Maybe try a short version. Has it got to do with a lethal gene?

Thanks​

 

[CityChicker]

Thank you, both... There is not a lot written about Australian Spotteds (nor duck genetics really period, a lot is just a rehashing of old information). When you understand the basics of how the color is "built", it is actually pretty straight forward. The Blue dilution acts the same as in other breeds and that information is I think in the Holderread book and can be found online as well. I don't know of any website that really looks at the colors/patterns in depth and if you could find it, it is probably just a quoting of Holderread with not a lot of original content (simply because not a lot of people have worked extensively with them and written about it, AFAIK).

Probably the most detailed source is the Holderread book or their breed handout. It is good for basic information or a starting point for your own research. I will leave it at that. Some of this is beyond the scope of BYC I think and I also want to study the birds even more before I say more (having bred them for almost a decade, LOL). As far as the dark phase birds though, they have to pop up because dark phase birds are being bred from (not anything to do with a lethal gene). As to why, maybe outcrossing? maybe just not being identified as such? I can't say for sure. Nor can I say for sure how many patterns (phenotype, not genotype) are definitely present (separate from the colors), but I am inclined to think at least 3 possibly 4 if it is indeed possible for li/li^h to show in the birds' phenotype. Combining the colors with the patterns or "phases" is what results in so many different looking varieties. HTH.