Hey all! So I have been breeding Welsh harlequins for 4 years now. Still learning about genetics and breeding birds that meet the SOP.
2 years ago I got pair of ducks that came from Holderreads. I remember thinking how upright and stright backed they where. Then find that's the posture they are supposed to have. Last year I used the drake, who I named Cougar as my breeder drake. It was then I hatched a little suprise, I stuck gold! Every 8 ducklings or so where gold. I also started hatching mis marks for the first time. Birds that had orange bills and feet or where way to light. Half the gold where turing out missed marked.
September of last year we lost Cougar. He was eaten by a coyote after the neighbor kids left the pen open. I did have 3 of his sons, the best drakes of the ones I raised. I chose the best out of the 3 and used him as my new breeder. So far I have hatched 20 ducklings, no gold
But I haven't had any miss marks either. So my question is I'm assuming this drake doesn't carry the gold gene. Can the miss marks be connected to the gold gene?
I'm doing an experiment. I took out the best son and replaced him with the runner up. On Sunday it will be 3 weeks since the trade. I'm hoping he is doing his job. We will see if this drake carries gold like his dad did.
2 years ago I got pair of ducks that came from Holderreads. I remember thinking how upright and stright backed they where. Then find that's the posture they are supposed to have. Last year I used the drake, who I named Cougar as my breeder drake. It was then I hatched a little suprise, I stuck gold! Every 8 ducklings or so where gold. I also started hatching mis marks for the first time. Birds that had orange bills and feet or where way to light. Half the gold where turing out missed marked.
September of last year we lost Cougar. He was eaten by a coyote after the neighbor kids left the pen open. I did have 3 of his sons, the best drakes of the ones I raised. I chose the best out of the 3 and used him as my new breeder. So far I have hatched 20 ducklings, no gold
But I haven't had any miss marks either. So my question is I'm assuming this drake doesn't carry the gold gene. Can the miss marks be connected to the gold gene?I'm doing an experiment. I took out the best son and replaced him with the runner up. On Sunday it will be 3 weeks since the trade. I'm hoping he is doing his job. We will see if this drake carries gold like his dad did.
) Any tips or advise will be much appreciated, TIA!
