WH..difference between GOLD and SILVER phases?

[maralynn28]

So I've been thinking one of my supposedly female WH is actually a drake as she looks SO different from my other WH duck. One is very light almost all yellow with just traces of darker on her head and light stripe down back (can only see below the fuzz) while the other is significantly darker with markings similar to mallard but much lighter and darker bill.
It bothered me so (was actually kinda hoping I got a drake by accident..he he, although it's better if I don't) that I decided to try vent sexing...it went well, I was really scared and overly gentle afraid I was going to hurt them, saw what I think I should see but nothing to show there is a boy in my group. (not that it doesn't mean there isn't as I'm definitely no pro).
So now I'm wondering, is it just that one duck will have darker markings than the other or is there one silver and one gold? Does Metzer even sell both phase types? I thought gold phase was supposed to be really rare in the US, but seems that is what I see most...

 

[Wifezilla]

Metzer does not distinguish between gold and silver, but they do have both.

2 of my Metzer ducks were mostly yellow with brown fuzz. My other duck was yellow with black fuzz. The black fuzz duckling ended up mostly white with blue wing bars (silver phase). The brown fuzz ducklings ended up with bronze wing bars (gold phase). You can see the difference in coloring on these two...

This is Wendy. She is my darkest duck and has the most visible "mallard" markings. She was the one on the left in the baby pic.

I also have 2 Holderreads Welsh Harlequins I got as adults. The male is a silver, the female is a gold.

Tweak

Lexus

The feathering quality on Metzer ducks is NOT good. The ducks are healthy, are friendly, and lay eggs like mad, but their bills can stay splotchy when they are supposed to be solid. Shelley only has one blue wing bar (the other wing is white). Welsh harlequin coloring also changes A LOT! Shelley used to be all white.

Last year

Last month

 

[maralynn28]

WOW! That IS a difference in color changes...Shelly seems to be quite the chameleon.

I didn't realize they would change so much. Here are my two...

Bolt (left) & Stormtrooper Rex (right)...supposed to be both female. The one on the left looks brownish in her darker areas and the one on the right looks greyish. I thought that mean she was a 'he.'

This is them now...

This is the girl I thought (ok, I was hoping) would be a snowier white while the other would have more brown...guess I was wrong! Gold phase? She's a beauty anyhow.

So this is silver phase?

 

[duckgirl_19]

adorable ducks!

 

[Wifezilla]

My girls at about the same age. BUT...their bills never darkend properly. I THINK you have a girl and a boy. The duck with the slate bill is the girl. Orange bill is the boy. Is one of them louder and noisier than the other?