WH, Should I keep her? Or wait and see?

[americanchicks]

Hey everyone!
I so glad my WH have started laying! Started off with one egg then I got two, the other day I had three. Planning on hatching I have a few people that want some ducklings. I have one that is not pure WH, or not to standard. Was sold at auction as a WH but she is larger and the coloring is off. My thought is a mix. So should I re-home this little lady? There is no way of knowing who is laying what. I am guessing her's may be the slightly larger egg?

I could wait and see how the ducklings look. If her's look different I can separate from the purebreds. But then again they may all look the same when young. So any suggestions? I could try and bond her with my rouen flock. But she really loves her WH family. Thanks.

My 4 WH beauties. SOOO excited to see the ducklings!

 

[Texag87]

There is nothing wrong with what we call Muttlings. Mixed breed ducks may even be more healthy.

 

[johntfs]

I'm with @Texag87 on this one. Generally "mutts" of anything tend to be healthier than pure breds because they give the DNA a chance to breathe. And if you're specifically trying for pure breds, the simplest way to deal with her is to use her eggs for breakfast and hatch ducklings from the others.

 

[Ratchnick]

You can put a drop of food coloring in her vent to see which eggs are hers.

 

[americanchicks]

Thanks for your advice everyone. I really didn't want to get rid of her. She is a sweetie and has the brightest most lovely shade of blue iridescent feathers I have ever seen. It will be interesting on what her offspring would look like

Ratchnick going to try your food coloring idea tomorrow. What a clever idea.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Thanks for your advice everyone. I really didn't want to get rid of her. She is a sweetie and has the brightest most lovely shade of blue iridescent feathers I have ever seen. It will be interesting on what her offspring would look like

Ratchnick going to try your food coloring idea tomorrow. What a clever idea.

If you're going to do that it really helps to have someone hold her. I laid my girl on the kitchen counter on a towel. It took me a few minutes just to find the vent even with my husband holding her still. You'd think that it would be easy with those eggs popping out of that thing but it's harder to find than you'd think. Try to get the food coloring right in the vent and do NOT let her go swimming afterward or it will be gone!

 

[Miss Lydia]

She's a gorgeous duck. ❤

 

[chickens really]

I'd just leave her. Your not selling show Ducks so it shouldn't matter.

 

[Isaac 0]

You have some beautiful looking ducks! @americanchicks