What is she?

[rajza00]

My 7-week old Welsh Harlequin looks exactly like this except for that blue feather!

 

[kawonu]

She is a Silver Appleyard. We have them in call duck form. Here is what I've found out about them....

Appleyards use two different set of genes which work on lightening the normal gray plumage (mallard pattern). The Restricted gene and the Light phase gene are both involved which makes the Appleyards unique.

 

[Cetawin]

That blue feather on that one looks like my drake golden welsh harlequins, yours could be a silver phase

edit - cancel that...the blues are different and the face markings are different...

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
You're right! She does look like that silver welsh harlequin duck!

 

[19hhbelgian]

Wow, she is very pretty!!

 

[kawonu]

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Ducks/Apple/BRKApple.html

Silver Appleyard

 

[CityChicker]

She probably is a restricted Mallard, but without the light dilution of the Silver Appleyard. A key piece of information is what she looked like as a duckling. If she is restricted Mallard, she would have looked almost identical to a normal Mallard duckling. If she was Appleyard, she would have been yellow with a dark stripe on top of the head (some birds sold as Appleyard are not really). If she was WH, she would have been yellow with a darker dusting to the feathers, but no stripe on the head.

I don't think she is a WH. Her coloring and size is not right for WH (and definitely not a Gold WH, as Golds virtually never would have a blue wing speculum). Snowy Mallards though are almost the same genotype as the WH. The WH just has the addition of Dusky (and the Golds also have brown dilution).

My vote is restricted Mallard, but could also have something else as well. I would love to know what hatchery she came from!

 

[M To The Maxx]

That is a very pretty duck!!!

 

[streemers]

im leaning toward the mallard ideas. she looks nothing like any of my welsh harliquins. she is very beautiful though

 

[Birch Run Farm]

Who cares! She is gorgeous!