What Are the Odds?

[BeccaOH]

In May I started a total of 19 ducklings:
4 Hookbills hatched from a BYC breeder
7 Hookbills from Holderread
5 Saxony from Holderread
3 F&W runners from Holderread

One Hookbill died, so out of 10 I have 9 NINE boys.

Not the good breeding mix I planned for.
Saxony are all GIRLS. But I can do with some eggs.

and in the runners, I'm worried I may again be striking out with all boys.

How does this sort of odds happen.

 

[percyj]

Hee hee haha! Sorry, not much help here. Are hookbills gonna be rehomed? Or meat? Or bachelor pen. You could film them!!!! Bachelor ducks: the fight to the finish........well, the fight yo the lone grl.

 

[Sweetfolly]

Oh, what rotten luck, Becca!

I wonder if Birch Run has any extra females she could send you, so you'd at least be able to make a pair/trio for the spring.

I didn't hatch any Hookies this year - they start laying early (in February), and by the time I got around to separating everyone into breeding pens, my one mature female quit laying for the summer.

I got 6 from Holderreads this year, and ended up with 2 boys and 4 girls, but I was terrified I was going to end up with all boys.

Wouldn't it be nice if we all ended up with the exact gender ratios we wanted? I hate getting rid of excess drakes I've raised and am attached to!

 

[BeccaOH]

Quote:
Ah, yes. The Bachelorette of the Duck Pen coming to TV this fall.

Won't be long before the shenanigans begin.

Thanks, Annarie. I did PM Birch Run since the eggs I hatched were from there. I also emailed Holderread about the availability of a couple adult female Hookbills yet this fall. Waiting to hear from both.

So the Hookbills don't lay all year round like the runners? I get 5-6 eggs a week from each of my runners.

 

[Sweetfolly]

Quote:
I dunno. They're supposed to be "good seasonal layers" - mine started in the middle of February, laid an egg EVERY DAY until about the end of April, and I haven't seen an egg from her since. She's healthy and getting the correct food, apparently she's just done for the year.

I'll have to see what my younger Holderreads girls do come spring. Birch Run's Hookies must still be laying, because she has ducklings for sale right now! My mature female is from Sandhill Preservation Center - their Hookbills may not be as productive as Holderreads.

EDIT: Plus, my adult female is a solid Dusky, and Dave Holderread says that the Bibbed variety lays better.

I kind of wanted all 3 color varieties, I'm a little bummed I didn't get any Whites. But, if I have the right genetics in my flock, I might hatch a White next year!