Who's the daddy? Welsh x Runner genetic Question

[Waddlewoods]

Hey! Just hatched my first round of Welsh x Runners and wondering who the daddy is. Lol.

The first 3 ducklings we'll speak about all hatched from a Welsh egg so the mama is my silver phase Welsh Harlequin. They are obviously not pure Welsh so who do you figure the daddy is out of these runners...

- Blue bibbed
- B&W Ancona coloured (I have 2 - see pics)
- silver

The other duckling (eye stripes) hatched from a runner egg so could be from any of my hens (silver, black or chocolate mallard) although I didn't think my chocolate mallard was laying yet. Any guesses on who the mom & dad might be? Could be any of the drakes listed above plus my silver phase Welsh drake.

The remaining 7 ducklings I believe to be pure runner from my black hen and my blue bibbed drake. They are inseparable and the ducklings all look like him. Thoughts?

 

[Waddlewoods]

More pics including potential parents

 

[Jenbirdee]

oh wow! Those are all beautiful ducks! You are trying to breed my dream duck.. HarleyQuinrunner!!
I can’t answer any of your questions on genetics, but I just wanted to tell you how beautiful your ducks are. perhaps @cheezenkwackers or @KathiQuacks can help

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Could you clarify which duckling pictures go with which description?

 

[Waddlewoods]

Could you clarify which duckling pictures go with which description?

The pictures have the clarification on them but you need to click on them to see it.

The ones that say Welsh Cross are the ones that hatched from the Welsh eggs.

The ones that say remaining 7 are the ones I figure are pure runner (black hen x blue bibbed drake).

The one with the eye stripes I forgot to attach a picture so here you go...

 

[Waddlewoods]

oh wow! Those are all beautiful ducks! You are trying to breed my dream duck.. HarleyQuinrunner!!
I can’t answer any of your questions on genetics, but I just wanted to tell you how beautiful your ducks are. perhaps @cheezenkwackers or @KathiQuacks can help

Thank you!!!

 

[cheezenkwackers]

The pictures have the clarification on them but you need to click on them to see it.

The ones that say Welsh Cross are the ones that hatched from the Welsh eggs.

The ones that say remaining 7 are the ones I figure are pure runner (black hen x blue bibbed drake).

The one with the eye stripes I forgot to attach a picture so here you go...

Ok, how did you do that? I liked it (although you had to explain it to me).

Anyway, I believe the daddy of your Welsh crosses is your blue, bibbed runner. To be blue, he has only one blue allele (silver has two). So, he can have blue or black ducklings. Also, he is the only one with a bib except the Ancona looking one which does not have blue.

The striped duckling is interesting. The gene for all black, which all your adults have except the chocolate mallard is dominant. So, they only need one allele to be black, blue, or silver. As a result, a drake and hen with only one black allele (heterozygous) can have a non all black baby. So, almost any of the adults could potentially be the parents. If the chocolate hen layed the egg it would be more probable but not for sure. Since so many ducklings have bibs and the striped duckling does not, I doubt the blue bibbed drake is his dad.

As for the remaining 7. If there are some blue and some black with bibs, the pairing you suggested makes sense. If they are all blue and do not have bibs I would suspect your silver drake and black hen. I can’t really tell from the picture.

 

[Waddlewoods]

Ok, how did you do that? I liked it (although you had to explain it to me).

Anyway, I believe the daddy of your Welsh crosses is your blue, bibbed runner. To be blue, he has only one blue allele (silver has two). So, he can have blue or black ducklings. Also, he is the only one with a bib except the Ancona looking one which does not have blue.

The striped duckling is interesting. The gene for all black, which all your adults have except the chocolate mallard is dominant. So, they only need one allele to be black, blue, or silver. As a result, a drake and hen with only one black allele (heterozygous) can have a non all black baby. So, almost any of the adults could potentially be the parents. If the chocolate hen layed the egg it would be more probable but not for sure. Since so many ducklings have bibs and the striped duckling does not, I doubt the blue bibbed drake is his dad.

As for the remaining 7. If there are some blue and some black with bibs, the pairing you suggested makes sense. If they are all blue and do not have bibs I would suspect your silver drake and black hen. I can’t really tell from the picture.

Ok interesting! My blue bibbed is sure getting things done! LOL.

All the remaining 7 I believe to be blue but they all have bibs. Some slightly darker and some slightly lighter.

There is one Welsh cross which I was certain had to be the offspring of one of my Ancona coloured drakes as he has the marking on the bill just like they both did as babies and the black marks on his legs and toes. Here's a few more pics of him...