Question about WHITE Ancona gene

[bayyjayy]

So...out of my nine Anconas, I swear every single one of them are quacking.....I really concentrated today, and I think....THINK.....my total white one MAY be a boy....and believe it or not....I really think the rest are girls! How's that for luck? So......if the white one is a boy.......if I hatch out eggs, what will I get? I know I could get a mix with pure white mixed in, but.....does anyone know? How strong is that gene?

 

[aineheartsyou]

Think of it like this, lets say we have a solid black duck then we splash it with white paint, now its a black and white duck. Now for our completely white anconas, its like they got dunked in white paint instead of splashed. Underneath they are still ___ color we just cant see it.

ETA:
Thats how I understand it anyways, please correct me if I am wrong

 

[GrannyCarol]

If I understand duck colors, yes, the white gene is dominant (and I think a different gene location) from the other colors. So... if its really white genetically, then it should throw half Ancona colors and half white (its not likely to be homozygous). On the other hand, I wonder if its a splash (double dilute) with only a few pale gray feathers? If so, I'd expect it to throw Anconas that are all at least one dilute - blues, lavenders, etc. That could be really fun! I'm hoping to hear from someone with experience with "white" Anconas and whether they are really white or some form of Ancona color pattern genetically.

BTW, when I got 6 day old Anconas, the 5 I kept to grow out were all girls and I gave one to a friend that met an untimely end due to a predator, so I don't know what sex that one was. I was bummed!

 

[toadbriar]

I think the white Anconas are a result of two lightly-marked birds mating and creating even less-marked offspring. They're not genetically white like Pekins, but the result of a pied gene (like in fawn/white runners) plus a bibbed gene (like in swedes) and I think another one but forget what it's called. It's in the Ancona section of Storey's Guide if I'm not mistaken. Holderread talks about combining heavier marked birds with lighter marked ones to even out color imbalances.

I do have a pet theory about white Anconas though - I do suspect they might often carry blue and chocolate genes under the white. Those colors can be hard to come by, so I could see holding back a baby of a desired color even if she's undermarked... just to try to keep that color going in the flock.

 

[bayyjayy]

Well, you guys made my day! I was thinking I wasn't going to be able to breed since I thought someone commented on one of my posts about getting white babies from him/her. That makes me sooo happy......I just have someone wanting eggs in spring, so I was worried about them getting WHITE ducks and not spotted. I was surprised when I got my batch because I thought I got a pekin in there! How fun.....that would be soooo fun to get some off colors from this one. Yay......we shall see, eh??

Thanks!

 

[GrannyCarol]

I'm thinking that you'll have to test breed your white to know for sure what it will throw - whether its some very dilute Ancona, or has the dominant white or what. I'm hoping you'll do so and let us know. I'm still looking to hear from someone that has bred Anconas enough to know about "white" ones.

 

[rollyard]

Quote:
Your white bird is possibly so due to the recessive white gene (c), but even if this is the case, chances are that you won't produce any all white progeny unless counterparts used in breeding pen also carry the recessive white gene! Having said this, it is likely possible that you could select away from colour (for white) in birds genetically E/E, S/S, R/R, C+/C+ & with additional diluters/pigment inhibitors over time. There are influencing factors (minor/major/epigenetic) we are not yet knowledgeable about!

Try test breeding a few prior to selling eggs & see what you get

 

[bayyjayy]

WOW...again....totally made my day. I was out again today trying to figure out how many females....and I really do think he is the only boy! I am so excited to have babies, now. I am curious to see what I am going to get!