"Rare Phase" Ducks: A Breakdown

[Miss Lydia]

@Pyxis is great with genetics
adorable ducklings

 

[Pyxis]

Hello. I'm not sure if this thread is still going, but I am wondering how many generations back before knowing a duck is purebred?

I have a black duckling that was hatched from regular Rouens. Mine are not standard, they are production Rouens. The parents are mine, and the grandparents are at a friend's farm. Rouens are the only ducks on his farm and in my yard.

So I'm curious if my duckling is a mix from genetics beyond the grandparents? I have 8 ducks that hatched and only one is black (still waiting on one egg)View attachment 3050997View attachment 3051000View attachment 3051012

He's dusky! So if he's male, he's gonna have no throat ring and no claret breast. If she's female, she will lack eyestripes.

Dusky is a recessive gene and can be carried along in a flock for quite some time with no one the wiser, until two carriers happen to mate and then bam, there's a dusky duckling.

 

[HostileMatron]

He's dusky! So if he's male, he's gonna have no throat ring and no claret breast. If she's female, she will lack eyestripes.

Dusky is a recessive gene and can be carried along in a flock for quite some time with no one the wiser, until two carriers happen to mate and then bam, there's a dusky duckling.

Thank you so much for the reply! I haven't been finding much information available online. I've been keeping fingers crossed that it wasn't only going to be a difference while he's a duckling. I am really looking forward to watching him/her grow!

I keep catching myself just staring at him and amazement. Lol

 

[HostileMatron]

Hello Wanted to update on my little black duck, who isn't so little anymore. Haha. She's awesome. Yep! It's a girl! And Pyxis was absolutely correct. She has no eye stripe. And still had a mostly black head

 

[HostileMatron]

Oops. Pictures didn't go