What color are my ducklings?

[DuckyDonna]

Because it's probably from the penciled. Ducklings come in lots of colours but definitely change colours as they mature.

It was my duck that is penciled, not OP's

 

[DuckyDonna]

@Pyxis, genetic help needed, please!

 

[Pyxis]

I purchased the eggs from someone, according to them these are what their flock consists of: 2 grey mallard drakes, 2 white drakes, 1 penciled (female), 4 mallard(females).

Well, I suspect the lighter, browner one is in some form chocolate. Makes some sense, since in runners penciled IS a chocolate color. However, a female shouldn't be able to produce ducklings that express chocolate on her own. She would need to have had a mate that carries chocolate. Or, a male that is chocolate in some way or carries chocolate can produce female chocolate offspring even if his mate is not chocolate.

So, your darker one is grey (mallard). The lighter one, probably chocolate mallard (nutmeg). So I suspect one of the white drakes is carrying chocolate in some form. Not sure if the penciled one is the mother either, because if she was, the baby should be pied in some way. Maybe it is, and it's just not captured in these pictures. If the penciled one is not the mother, then the baby is sex linked, and is a female.

They did say they once got a black duckling even though none of the parents are black, so they said they must have some hidden genes too to produce that.

Totally possible. White ducks can be any color at all 'under' the white. The parents you listed do not guarantee that every baby they produce is going to be on the mallard base, because the white drakes could actually be extended black in some form 'under' the white. Of course, to produce a nutmeg duckling like I suspect yours is, one of them has to at least be carrying the mallard base and at least be carrying chocolate.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Well, I suspect the lighter, browner one is in some form chocolate. Makes some sense, since in runners penciled IS a chocolate color. However, a female shouldn't be able to produce ducklings that express chocolate on her own. She would need to have had a mate that carries chocolate. Or, a male that is chocolate in some way or carries chocolate can produce female chocolate offspring even if his mate is not chocolate.

So, your darker one is grey (mallard). The lighter one, probably chocolate mallard (nutmeg). So I suspect one of the white drakes is carrying chocolate in some form. Not sure if the penciled one is the mother either, because if she was, the baby should be pied in some way. Maybe it is, and it's just not captured in these pictures. If the penciled one is not the mother, then the baby is sex linked, and is a female.



Totally possible. White ducks can be any color at all 'under' the white. The parents you listed do not guarantee that every baby they produce is going to be on the mallard base, because the white drakes could actually be extended black in some form 'under' the white. Of course, to produce a nutmeg duckling like I suspect yours is, one of them has to at least be carrying the mallard base and at least be carrying chocolate.

And there you have it!

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

Well, I suspect the lighter, browner one is in some form chocolate. Makes some sense, since in runners penciled IS a chocolate color. However, a female shouldn't be able to produce ducklings that express chocolate on her own. She would need to have had a mate that carries chocolate. Or, a male that is chocolate in some way or carries chocolate can produce female chocolate offspring even if his mate is not chocolate.

So, your darker one is grey (mallard). The lighter one, probably chocolate mallard (nutmeg). So I suspect one of the white drakes is carrying chocolate in some form. Not sure if the penciled one is the mother either, because if she was, the baby should be pied in some way. Maybe it is, and it's just not captured in these pictures. If the penciled one is not the mother, then the baby is sex linked, and is a female.



Totally possible. White ducks can be any color at all 'under' the white. The parents you listed do not guarantee that every baby they produce is going to be on the mallard base, because the white drakes could actually be extended black in some form 'under' the white. Of course, to produce a nutmeg duckling like I suspect yours is, one of them has to at least be carrying the mallard base and at least be carrying chocolate.

Thank you so much Pyxis! This is incredibly helpful!!