White calls turning yellowish

[farmerRyan]

We have some white calls and last month they were bright white. Now, the drake is turning yellow a little. They are kept in a covered pen with clean water and do not get fed corn. I read online that white calls should have lots of sun to keep white but I always thought the sun was bad.

Do you recommend putting white calls in the sun or should they be kept in the shade?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Amiga]

I don't think it's a lack of sunlight. My Zwei gets a yellowish tinge sometimes and I think it's something she gets into, like mud or wet straw. She loses it within a day or two.


Zwei before her hood turned white.

 

[Going Quackers]

It's not corn( i have whole corn here) or sunlight related(i have white ducks who free range), mine are white Muscovy and sometimes i think it is staining from droppings and debris. Also sometimes the oil gland yellow too is more obvious on the white ducks as they distribute it through their body.

 

[ChocoClover]

When I had white birds, they would take dirt baths and get yellow. I don't know if call ducks take dirt baths, but that should be something to look into. Also, if they swim in a dirty pond, that could be making a difference. My ducks swam in my very polluted pond and became yellowish.

 

[Going Quackers]

When I had white birds, they would take dirt baths and get yellow. I don't know if call ducks take dirt baths, but that should be something to look into. Also, if they swim in a dirty pond, that could be making a difference. My ducks swam in my very polluted pond and became yellowish.

A polluted might but a regular old dirt one? not found that here, i own a few pure white scovies and have a lot of white combo's here, they are in muddy places all the time since they free range, the last time i saw yellowing was my big guy(oldest drake) pure white and it was the oil from his gland.

He's as bright as a bleached shirt right now, done a molt and super exposed to dirt, we've been nothing but rain for weeks lol

 

[farmerRyan]

Thanks for the replies.
The calls are in an elevated, covered pen. I have a mason tub in the middle for a pond and change the water daily.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the replies.
The calls are in an elevated, covered pen. I have a mason tub in the middle for a pond and change the water daily.

I have solid white Muscovy's and sometimes I think their oil gland must produce too much because their feathers will be yellow. and my drake with a white head has had the yellow on his feathers which I am pretty sure is the yellow waxy oil from his oil gland.

 

[Going Quackers]

Based on those living conditions i'd go with oil gland, my calls are on the ground so have mud and water in abundance but none are white( i have greys, appleyard and blue fawn)

 

[aprille218]

I have white calls. I keep them in both sunlight and shade (there pen is big enough they can choose either). Every fall the white's turn yellowish until it snows. I think it has something to do with the temp fluctuations and their oil glands but I'm not positive. As long as they are eating and drinking normally yours are fine.
Aprille

 

[briarpatchfarms]

white calls for show should be kept in the sun... also corn will turn them creamy and brighten the bill color to a bright orange. other things that the white ducks pick up and inject can cause creaminess when being free ranged or flocked on the ground. most common feeds that are fed are corn based or grain by product based feeds this too causes creaminess. things eaten does affect oil glands as well... the easiest thing to do is full sun, fresh swim water 2x daily, and a little bit of bleach in the water also helps too(this also keeps the red algae on the feathers off and keeps your swim bowls cleaner as well.