sex-linked ducklings

[casportpony]

This is dusky:

 

[happy duck]

This is dusky:

AAAAAAAAHHH so cute!!!

 

[Pyxis]

View attachment 1744385 Thank you! We ended up with 3 girls, 3 boys and one we are sure of because it is from different parents. I did read Storey’s guide. What I don’t understand is why they have facial stripes and wild type duckling markings. Both the Khaki and Welsh Harlequin should be homozygous recessive for the dusky gene. Any ideas?

Welsh harlequins aren't dusky They are harlequin phase, and that's what removes the eyestripes (and is in fact what gives them their entire coloring, the name of which is 'snowy'). Dusky is a whole different allele.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Welsh harlequins aren't dusky They are harlequin phase, and that's what removes the eyestripes (and is in fact what gives them their entire coloring, the name of which is 'snowy'). Dusky is a whole different allele.

Now I am really confused. Here is the chart from Storey’s guide. Pattern types are listed as wild type, restricted, and dusky. Harlequin is listed as a light gene. So Storey’s is wrong?

 

[Pyxis]

Now I am really confused. Here is the chart from Storey’s guide. Pattern types are listed as wild type, restricted, and dusky. Harlequin is listed as a light gene. So Storey’s is wrong?
View attachment 1744566

I'm not even sure what "Pat" is supposed to be, nor "So", or "Brsl" - none of those are standard abbreviations for alleles in ducks. I think perhaps "Pat" is supposed to be talking about the Mallard genes, which are typically written as M+ for wild type, M^R for restricted mallard, and m^d for dusky. At any rate, no, to my knowledge the color in welsh harlequins, which is snowy, does not require dusky. And that is backed up by the fact that your ducklings are not dusky. Were your harlequin girls dusky, all the ducklings would be too. So obviously they are not.

In fact, if they were dusky, I have a feeling that it would actually be removing the throat ring, which it does to 'regular' Li+ colors, which is why your campbell drake doesn't have a throat right - it's the dusky gene that's doing that. And snowy birds are supposed to have throat rings.

 

[CaramelKittey]

Congragulations on your ducklings! They are so beautiful! The parents are gorgeous too! Welsh Harlequins are my favorites!

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I'm not even sure what "Pat" is supposed to be, nor "So", or "Brsl" - none of those are standard abbreviations for alleles in ducks. I think perhaps "Pat" is supposed to be talking about the Mallard genes, which are typically written as M+ for wild type, M^R for restricted mallard, and m^d for dusky. At any rate, no, to my knowledge the color in welsh harlequins, which is snowy, does not require dusky. And that is backed up by the fact that your ducklings are not dusky. Were your harlequin girls dusky, all the ducklings would be too. So obviously they are not.

In fact, if they were dusky, I have a feeling that it would actually be removing the throat ring, which it does to 'regular' Li+ colors, which is why your campbell drake doesn't have a throat right - it's the dusky gene that's doing that. And snowy birds are supposed to have throat rings.

What you are saying makes sense and explains what I am seeing. It just doesn’t seem to fit with the book.
So the boys should look more like Mallards then? With neck rings and rust colored chests? I thought they would look like dark Campbell’s.

 

[Pyxis]

What you are saying makes sense and explains what I am seeing. It just doesn’t seem to fit with the book.
So the boys should look more like Mallards then? With neck rings and rust colored chests? I thought they would look like dark Campbell’s.
View attachment 1744788

Yes, the boys are going to look like mallards, and the females are going to be 'chocolate mallard' which, at least in Call ducks, is called Nutmeg. They're all split to harlequin phase, of course. And the males, even though they aren't chocolate, are split to chocolate.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I've just ordered some Harlequin's because our incubating is not going well. I suppose had I bought a better quality incubator we might of had better luck. Anyway I ordered some Harlequins because they are suppose to be good setters. Did it take time before your birds would set or did they just naturally go for it? Also once they started setting did you have to separate them or do anything special so the other birds wouldn't disturb them?

We used the incubator. We eat our duck eggs.

 

[Grateful Ed]

My Welsh is just now a year old and she is currently setting for the first time. She found a very inconspicuous spot to make her nest under our shop. We didn't even know that she was broody or setting until she started getting upset with us when we would come around the shop. She would also come up missing and then would randomly reappear. We finally watched her one day as she came out from under the shop. She's been a pretty good brooder so far for this to be her first time.

My Welsh is just now a year old and she is currently setting for the first time. She found a very inconspicuous spot to make her nest under our shop. We didn't even know that she was broody or setting until she started getting upset with us when we would come around the shop. She would also come up missing and then would randomly reappear. We finally watched her one day as she came out from under the shop. She's been a pretty good brooder so far for this to be her first time.