Question Post: The Mystery Duck

[chickens really]

@Ravynscroft

 

[cottontail farm]

When that happened, was the offspring big like domestic or small like mallard?

I never tried to hatch any of the eggs but should have. There were two wild drakes that "visited" for several days that spring.

 

[Abriana]

She’s beautiful and super cute!

 

[Ravynscroft]

She could be a mallard/domestic mix... size of offspring is direct relation to the size of the the female... mallard female and domestic drake would be slightly bigger than mallard, but closer to mallard size than domestic... domestic hen and mallard drake, offspring would be slightly smaller than domestic but closer in size than to the mallard... make sense?

She could be a cross of just about anything... Magpie/Mallard comes to mind... black bib with the wildtype bleed through is common from many color crosses to the mallard coloring...

 

[Beau Claverie]

She could be a mallard/domestic mix... size of offspring is direct relation to the size of the the female... mallard female and domestic drake would be slightly bigger than mallard, but closer to mallard size than domestic... domestic hen and mallard drake, offspring would be slightly smaller than domestic but closer in size than to the mallard... make sense?

She could be a cross of just about anything... Magpie/Mallard comes to mind... black bib with the wildtype bleed through is common from many color crosses to the mallard coloring...

That's very interesting. Thanks for your insight! But... is it even possible for a domestic male to mate with a female mallard? Seems like the mallard would die from it or at least suffer injuries.

 

[Ravynscroft]

That's very interesting. Thanks for your insight! But... is it even possible for a domestic male to mate with a female mallard? Seems like the mallard would die from it or at least suffer injuries.

It is very possible... also very likely to cause injury or death, yes, but many large drakes have bred smaller ducks...

 

[Poultrylord]

East Indie Mallard cross....?

I really want east indies, too!!!

 

[chickens really]

I really want east indies, too!!!

Too bad your were not close...I have a contact for them...

 

[BaJa]

Are her black feathers iridescent in the sun? If so, then she might be a Cayuga (they tend to get more white feathers every time they molt) or a Cayuga cross.

Could you weigh her?

how can it be a Cayuga? They're three times the size!

 

[BaJa]

in parks, you get all sorts of domestic colors of mallards.