Pekin Duck Bill Colors (White vs. Yellow)

[virginbred]

i found this info on the internet...

"The ducklings should upon hatching be covered in yellow down with either a pink or orange bill. those that hatch with a orange bill may well loose the orange at a few weeks old. They will after about 5 weeks return to a bright orange, ducklings that have hatched with a pink bill will also change in bill colour after a few weeks to orange. The orange colour comes from lutine which is found in most leave greens.Grass being on of the best. It is therefore important that this is feed. "

 

[brodysam]

But the ones kept inside and off grass have the orange bills and the ones that were allowed outside more have the white/bleached beaks?? They were all fed the same feed too.

 

[Our Roost]

Just read an article on this under the duck forum. It has something to do with the protein content. 24% or less can cause bill and leg discoloration?

 

[bigtrout]

I have had pekins for a year and in my experience when they are growing the bill color changes between orange and bleached as they are growing. Once they are in adult feathering and getting good feed they bills should be orange. The color is from vitamins and minerals found in veggies...carrots...greens etc. My free range pekins have bright orange bills and feet, except for one exception....my laying girls, after laying regularly. After they lay for a week or two their bills start fading to pink. This is normal as the vitamins that are responsible for making their bills orange is the same that makes their egg yolks almost orange. When they quit laying in winter for a month those same hens returned to orange bill coloring.
.

 

[phineasandferb]

I have two pekins, kept together and fed exactly the same. They were let outside together, and both are females. They area about two months old now. Their bills havent changed, but one has always had a very dark orange bill where the others is completely white. The only difference I see between them is that the one with the white bill wont eat any fruit, and it does not like swimming (but like being sprayed with a hose). So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, is this just a normal coloring issue?

 

[Feedingfour]

I have two Pekins that have been raised together since birth. One has a bright orange bill and one is pasty pink. The both free range, both get the same food, etc. I was googling why and it brought me here. Glad to hear my ducks aren't the only ones with different color beaks

 

[Fuzzbut]

We have 2 pekins.Both have free run of the yard and put themselves to bed in the chicken coop at night.anyway....One of them have always had a very light bill.The other is very dark. The one with the light bill has pretty orange legs just as the darker billed duck. Add me to the 'I would like to know why this is' club.

 

[Deleted member 94844]

I have had Pekin ducks with bright orange and flesh/pink bills. My personal theory is that the latter are from hybrid stock, mixed with Aylesbury. These hybrids then bred with standard Pekins and introduced the light-colored bill into the gene pool. My late female had it and her son inherited it.

Certain foods can enhance the orange color, but I believe the lighter bill is genetic.

 

[shadygardener]

I found this thread while searching, because I also have a Pekin with a whitish, pinkish, flesh-colored bill. We just got her to add to our little Pekin family because we had 2 males and only 1 female. I was thinking it might be due to what she had been fed, but not sure. Our other 3 Pekins have orange bills. I have read that feeding them calendula flowers or alfalfa makes their bill and feet bright orange, which is why I thought it might be related to her feed. (If that's true, it could be they fed her only chicken feed, perhaps egg layer pellets--they're beige.) We feed all our fowl a combination of egg layer pellets and premium 7 way chicken scratch which contains 7 different kinds of seeds including corn, sunflower seeds, and some other good stuff. Plus they are free-range, foraging outside in the garden all day. I was hoping someone would comment on here who knows more than I do. Honestly, I'm hoping her bill will "orange up" after awhile, because that bill color she has makes her look sickly to me. She acts very healthy and took up with the other Pekins the very next morning after she arrived.

 

[Going Quackers]

I found this thread while searching, because I also have a Pekin with a whitish, pinkish, flesh-colored bill. We just got her to add to our little Pekin family because we had 2 males and only 1 female. I was thinking it might be due to what she had been fed, but not sure. Our other 3 Pekins have orange bills. I have read that feeding them calendula flowers or alfalfa makes their bill and feet bright orange, which is why I thought it might be related to her feed. (If that's true, it could be they fed her only chicken feed, perhaps egg layer pellets--they're beige.) We feed all our fowl a combination of egg layer pellets and premium 7 way chicken scratch which contains 7 different kinds of seeds including corn, sunflower seeds, and some other good stuff. Plus they are free-range, foraging outside in the garden all day. I was hoping someone would comment on here who knows more than I do. Honestly, I'm hoping her bill will "orange up" after awhile, because that bill color she has makes her look sickly to me. She acts very healthy and took up with the other Pekins the very next morning after she arrived.

I own a half dozen, 3 have a lighter "pink bill" 3 have the orange darker bill.. all fed the same, free range and came from the same farm, they do however breed two different strains of Pekin and that IMO is the reason for the colouring ...