Quality of my WH Ducks?

[Lucky1]

Would you consider these guys, pet, breeder, or exhibition Quality? The female is in the center and the other two are drakes, they are 8 weeks old. Thanks

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

8 weeks old, you need them to finish growing out to properly judge them. You can get a copy of the American Standard of Perfection (SOP), so you can read up on faults and specifics for your breed as well.

 

[Lucky1]

Oh, they're not filled out yet? How long will that take? Also I would buy the book except that the only place I can find the newest one sells them for over $120!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Uumm, no idea where you looked but go straight to American Poultry Association website and buyit there for $59.00

http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/APA_ShoppingMall3.htm

You said your ducks are 2 months old, this makes them young, notice how the two you call drakes look very much like the one you call your girl? When mature they won't look alike. The boys get lovely green heads on them, where the girls stay light tanish buff. Just looks alone yours seem to be three drakes.

 

[Kevin565]

8 weeks old is too young to try to determine quality. You can sometimes find immediate DQ's but for the best evaluation you will need to wait awhile. So many things can change as they age which can make a huge difference in the show ring. Where did you buy these?

 

[Lucky1]

8 weeks old is too young to try to determine quality. You can sometimes find immediate DQ's but for the best evaluation you will need to wait awhile. So many things can change as they age which can make a huge difference in the show ring. Where did you buy these?

I bought them from a guy at the saugeen fur and feather show this spring, i dont know his name but i am trying to find out. They wre the only WH's there(that i could find anyway) and they were in a brooder with other breeds.

 

[Lucky1]

Uumm, no idea where you looked but go straight to American Poultry Association website and buyit there for $59.00
http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/APA_ShoppingMall3.htm
You said your ducks are 2 months old, this makes them young, notice how the two you call drakes look very much like the one you call your girl? When mature they won't look alike. The boys get lovely green heads on them, where the girls stay light tanish buff. Just looks alone yours seem to be three drakes.

Yes, i admit that the do look alike in the picture, but in real life the female is bulkier and has a blackish bill while the drakes have a green bill with a black tip on the end. Also the females neck is only a little bit white, it is mixed with a gold coming from lower on her neck.

I looked in amazon.com last week.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Body shapes look nice to me for 8 weeks. Other than that, you have to wait for their adult plumage and won't really know for sure until they are completely filled out at about 10 months.

I don't make my final selection until ducks are over a year old.

They look like 3 drakes to me. Sexing by bill color is unreliable. My Appleyard ducks will have brown heads with their juvenile plumage that then lightens properly when they get their adult plumage, but there is no green tint to their dark heads. I know that Appleyards and WH are a different color and different genetics, but you don't ever see green or black on the heads of the females, unless you are raising Cayugas or other black colored breeds.

 

[Lucky1]

You can sex WH's by the color of their bills when they are day olds, there are defiantly 2 males and 1 female.

 

[LydiaB]

bill color is not accurate any more. They have bred it out in favor of better traits.