Sex-linked or not?

[AliMcG]

Hi, I've been reading about sex-linked ducklings and have got myself a little baffled. Is it possible this little fluff ball can be sexed from the colouring, we are 1 week old now.
Its a runner duck and mummy was definitely white with an orange beak, daddy however is one of 3 different browns of possibly harlequin.
Any help in colouring, sexing etc would be appreciated

 

[Ratchnick]

White Is always weird, but there is no chocolate so if it is sex linked it would be a hen.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

If, and that is a big if, your hen does not have the sex-linked brown under her white, and daddy is brown (Khaki, Chocolate, or Gold Welsh Harlequin, then yes. Your duckling would be a boy then. Z chromosome from mom carrying non-brown, and Z chromosome from dad carrying brown. Since non-brown is dominant, boys are non-brown or black. Girls would have a W chromosome from mom making them girls, and the Z chromosome from dad carrying brown resulting in brown.

 

[Ratchnick]

If, and that is a big if, your hen does not have the sex-linked brown under her white, and daddy is brown (Khaki, Chocolate, or Gold Welsh Harlequin, then yes. Your duckling would be a boy then. Z chromosome from mom carrying non-brown, and Z chromosome from dad carrying brown. Since non-brown is dominant, boys are non-brown or black. Girls would have a W chromosome from mom making them girls, and the Z chromosome from dad carrying brown resulting in brown.

If the mother and father both have chocolate then wouldn't the babies be chocolate?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

If the mother and father both have chocolate then wouldn't the babies be chocolate?

Yes, but then they wouldn't be sex-linked. Since that baby is not chocolate, one of the parents had to be non-brown since it is dominant to brown.

 

[AliMcG]

Mummy duck is definitely pure white with an orange beak. We have 3 possibilities for daddy, all various browns/harlequin

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Mummy duck is definitely pure white with an orange beak. We have 3 possibilities for daddy, all various browns/harlequin

What do you mean by Harlequin? To me, it refers to carrying 2 Harlequin or snowy alleles and has nothing to do with the sex-linked brown?
White is a separate gene which basically overrides the other colors and patterns and causes no colored pigments to be put in the feathers. White birds still carry the other colors and patterns though. So, she can have and pass on any of the other colors or patterns but you cannot see them.
Here is a link which explains it well:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/mallard-derived-duck-color-genetics-basics.74277/

 

[AliMcG]

What do you mean by Harlequin? To me, it refers to carrying 2 Harlequin or snowy alleles and has nothing to do with the sex-linked brown?
White is a separate gene which basically overrides the other colors and patterns and causes no colored pigments to be put in the feathers. White birds still carry the other colors and patterns though. So, she can have and pass on any of the other colors or patterns but you cannot see them.
Here is a link which explains it well:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/mallard-derived-duck-color-genetics-basics.74277/

Sorry for the late reply. By harlequin I mean a mottled type of colour