How did I get yellow ducklings?

[LydiaB]

I recently hatched 17 barnyard mix ducklings and I’m confused as to how I got solid yellow ducklings. Potential fathers are Ancona,blue Swedish and a light gray blue Swedish mix. Probably half Ancona or welsh harlequin.

Potential mothers are white layer hybrid, welsh harlequin, Cayuga, Rouen, khaki Campbell.

From my tiny knowledge of duck genetics all should have some color on them?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

The solid white ducklings are coming from your Ancona drake crossed with your white layer. Ancona is created with two white genes overlaying each other + the genetics of whatever other color they are (black, blue, lilac, chocolate etc). Sometimes crossing two pure anconas can actually create solid white ducklings in rare cases because a duckling gets all of the white genes and none of the other color genetics. By crossing the Ancona with the white layer you increased your odds of solid white.

 

[KathiQuacks]

Is it possible one of the fathers are mixed with a solid white duck? While the white wouldn’t show in their feathers, it would still be part of their genes and allow for full-yellow ducklings when mixed with your White Layer.

Or, this is just an Ancona x White Layer cross, and the babies didn’t get any color, like HollowOfWisps says.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

The solid white ducklings are coming from your Ancona drake crossed with your white layer. Ancona is created with two white genes overlaying each other + the genetics of whatever other color they are (black, blue, lilac, chocolate etc). Sometimes crossing two pure anconas can actually create solid white ducklings in rare cases because a duckling gets all of the white genes and none of the other color genetics. By crossing the Ancona with the white layer you increased your odds of solid white.

(Wow... I did not know Ancona could come in entirely White...!!)

But... tell me if I am mistaken : a Blue Swedish drake could also father a white duckling, right?

I know purebred Duclair ducks have white babies sometimes, even though they are generally (Bibbed) Black...
And Duclair and Swedish ducks look kind of similar, and have the same colours...!

Thus : would it not possible fo the father to be a Blue Swedish drake?

 

[LydiaB]

The solid white ducklings are coming from your Ancona drake crossed with your white layer. Ancona is created with two white genes overlaying each other + the genetics of whatever other color they are (black, blue, lilac, chocolate etc). Sometimes crossing two pure anconas can actually create solid white ducklings in rare cases because a duckling gets all of the white genes and none of the other color genetics. By crossing the Ancona with the white layer you increased your odds of solid white.

Thanks! I knew it had to be white layer mothers. They look exactly like white layer ducklings.

 

[KathiQuacks]

Hi.



(Wow... I did not know Ancona could come in entirely White...!!)

But... tell me if I am mistaken : a Blue Swedish drake could also father a white duckling, right?

I know purebred Duclair ducks have white babies sometimes, even though they are generally (Bibbed) Black...
And Duclair and Swedish ducks look kind of similar, and have the same colours...!

Thus : would it not possible fo the father to be a Blue Swedish drake?

Blue Swedes have no recessive white genes, and White Layers have 2 recessive white genes. Their babies would only get 1 recessive white gene, which is not enough for the white to show. Therefore, all their babies would look like Swedes.

 

[LydiaB]

Blue Swedes have no recessive white genes, and White Layers have 2 recessive white genes. Their babies would only get 1 recessive white gene, which is not enough for the white to show. Therefore, all their babies would look like Swedes.

And half of the ducklings look like blue Swedes

 

[KathiQuacks]

And half of the ducklings look like blue Swedes

Yeah, that checks out. The Swede-like appearance is extremely common / dominant.
Your Blue Swede crossed with ANY of your females would produce Blue / Black Swede-like babies, which is what happened here! He was busy!!!

Your Swede mix possibly had a say in some of the babies, too.

 

[LydiaB]

Yeah, that checks out. The Swede-like appearance is extremely common / dominant.
Your Blue Swede crossed with ANY of your females would produce Blue / Black Swede-like babies, which is what happened here! He was busy!!!

Your Swede mix possibly had a say in some of the babies, too.

He IS busy. Which is one reason why he is joining freezer camp in September. I’m also switching mostly to Ancona so only keeping Ancona drakes.