Mixed breed duckling identification- sex-linked?

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

I had 3 ducklings hatch last Thursday . They were from my mixed flock and I'm 99% sure the father drake is my Welsh Harlequin. As far as who the mamas are, I'm thinking top is Rouen, middle is Khaki Campbell, and the bottom is pure Welsh Harlequin. What do you guys think? The options are Rouen, Buff, White Layer, Ancona, WH, and KC. That last one had a distinct light bill with the dark spot on the end of it when it hatched, so I think she's probably a female.

But I'm curious about the middle one; it looks nothing like what a Khaki Campbell/Harlequin mix is predicted to look like with the calculator, which shows basic mallard colors when the father is the WH. I don't even see eye stripes on this one. Would it be sex linked even if the mother was Khaki Campbell and not the father? Could it be that dark color without carrying the chocolate gene?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I agree, the top one looks like my Welsh/ Khaki mix. The bottom looks like a pure Welsh female to me too. The middle looks like black gene to me, not sex-linked brown. And no, sex- linkage only works if the drake is brown and the female is “black”. So, I would suspect the Ancona or white layer. It only takes one extended black allele to be black without facial stripes. That could come from either of those as white can mask any other color.

 

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

I agree, the top one looks like my Welsh/ Khaki mix. The bottom looks like a pure Welsh female to me too. The middle looks like black gene to me, not sex-linked brown. And no, sex- linkage only works if the drake is brown and the female is “black”. So, I would suspect the Ancona or white layer. It only takes one extended black allele to be black without facial stripes. That could come from either of those as white can mask any other color.

Thanks so much, that is helpful! The top one hatched from a large egg like the Rouens lay (my Khakis' eggs are smaller). That's interesting to know that your KC/Harlequin mix does look the same as that one. The middle looks more black to me too. One of the Anconas is black and white. Can an Ancona cross be a solid color without the patches?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Thanks so much, that is helpful! The top one hatched from a large egg like the Rouens lay (my Khakis' eggs are smaller). That's interesting to know that your KC/Harlequin mix does look the same as that one. The middle looks more black to me too. One of the Anconas is black and white. Can an Ancona cross be a solid color without the patches?

Sorry, you said Ancona but I was thinking Cayuga (long day at work). I did look it up and Anconas have the runner pattern which shows incomplete dominance so maybe but I think you are right that their should be some patching. So, I think the white layer makes the most sense. Your other baby does look just like my Khaki/Harlequin cross but a Rouen/ Harlequin cross might look similar?! These were my babies:

 

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

Sorry, you said Ancona but I was thinking Cayuga (long day at work). I did look it up and Anconas have the runner pattern which shows incomplete dominance so maybe but I think you are right that their should be some patching. So, I think the white layer makes the most sense. Your other baby does look just like my Khaki/Harlequin cross but a Rouen/ Harlequin cross might look similar?! These were my babies:
View attachment 3033037

Okay, if the white layer is the one then it's cool she's got the extended black under the white. I think I'll try that on the calculator and see how it comes out. Were your ducklings sex linked, since they have different colorings? Cute babies . They do look just like my one. My Rouens looked like that too as ducklings, so I guess I'm just going by the egg and duckling size.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Okay, if the white layer is the one then it's cool she's got the extended black under the white. I think I'll try that on the calculator and see how it comes out. Were your ducklings sex linked, since they have different colorings? Cute babies . They do look just like my one. My Rouens looked like that too as ducklings, so I guess I'm just going by the egg and duckling size.

Mine were sex-linked, male Khaki with female Welsh. So, yes, the brown were girls and the black were boys. Adorable ducklings btw!