Random Crested Duck Question

[333113]

My hookbills are from my sister a few years back. I believe that they were originally from Holderread. I have been selling their hatching eggs on Poultry Show Central for several years now. (https://www.poultryshowcentral.com/mo-dutch-hookbill-hatching-eggs.html)
They are good layers, almost as good as my runners, and the eggs are about the same size and colors (blue through white). I'm not a good picture-taker, but this will give you an idea of how they look and the egg colors. I also have some bibbed. Zoe and I have shared ducks. She is in Illinois and also on Poultry Show Central so I know there are more breeders out there.

 

[333113]

They are sweet ducks. It’s a wonder they don’t ask for ear plugs with the noise going on out side these days. My Runners aren’t too bad as far as noise but my 2 Buffs make up for it. They are such a hoot. I would love to see some pics of your Runners and Hookbills @ConnieA

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are gorgeous thank you for sharing them with us.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

My hookbills are from my sister a few years back. I believe that they were originally from Holderread. I have been selling their hatching eggs on Poultry Show Central for several years now. (https://www.poultryshowcentral.com/mo-dutch-hookbill-hatching-eggs.html)
They are good layers, almost as good as my runners, and the eggs are about the same size and colors (blue through white). I'm not a good picture-taker, but this will give you an idea of how they look and the egg colors. I also have some bibbed. Zoe and I have shared ducks. She is in Illinois and also on Poultry Show Central so I know there are more breeders out there.
View attachment 1720884 View attachment 1720877

Great ducks!!! But i am not ready for hatching eggs, just passed the "raise ducklings" exam. - I remember correctly, Hookbill Ducks can fly, can they? How do you prevent them from flying away? Closed aviary?

 

[333113]

Here are photos of my fawn and white runners doing what they love best, a pic (in the dark show barn) of one of my gray runners, reserve variety at Twin Tier Poultry Show in New York last fall (yep, bragging!), and young bibbed Hookbill with young gray runners, all hatched and raised together, about five months old, I think.

 

[333113]

Great ducks!!! But i am not ready for hatching eggs, just passed the "raise ducklings" exam. - I remember correctly, Hookbill Ducks can fly, can they? How do you prevent them from flying away? Closed aviary?

Yes, the hookbills can fly, but are easily contained with a two-foot fence for grazing. I keep them locked up in 1x1 inch welded wire cages with partial cover so they can go hide someplace they feel safe at night when the owls and bobcats and raccoons are out and about. I keep 2-4 ducks in each pen. I only let some of them out at a time out to graze, and they visit their friends in the other cages, so they always feel like they need to stay close to the rest of the flock.

 

[chickens really]

What breed is it? Crested is a deformity in all breeds of Duck.

 

[333113]

Sorry, I was off-topic, answering a couple of questions. Hookbills and runners aren't crested.
I wish we had a duck breed list like the chickens. Then I could just post a link to it.

 

[333113]

Putting myself back on topic...
I checked my APA Standard book (44th edition, 2015), and the only recognized crested duck colors are white and black. However, Feathersite.com, my other favorite poultry site, shows additional colors that breeders have been working on. I especially love the contrasty crests.
https://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Ducks/Crest/BRKCrestedDucks.html
I know that other colors in runners were the result of outcrosses and then breeding back to the runner form while keeping the outcross color.
The crest is supposed to be centered, and being too off-center is listed as a disqualification for a show bird. But, for a pet, it's a feature!

 

[333113]

Sorry, I was off-topic, answering a couple of questions. Hookbills and runners aren't crested.
I wish we had a duck breed list like the chickens. Then I could just post a link to it.

I apologise...I was wrong, on both counts.
First, Dutch Hookbills have a long history of crested individuals, even though I personally don't have any. See https://livestockconservancy.org/images/uploads/docs/Hook-Bill_History_Final_Draft.pdf

Second, there ARE duck pages here, under Other Poultry, Ducks.
The runners can be found at https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/indian-runner.10925
And
the Dutch Hookbills can be found at https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/dutch-hookbill.10859

Another episode of "Spoke Too Soon," sorry.