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Ancona Duck Colors

Black/White 

The most routinely-seen color in the breed and definitely the most striking!  Black is dominant to all other colors.

 

Chocolate/White

The second most common color which is recessive to black. This color is sex-linked. Meaning if you mate:

Chocolate Drake X Black duck : 50% Black (all males carrying Chocolate); 50% Chocolate (all females)

Black Drake X Chocolate duck: 100% Black - but only males will carry the Chocolate gene

If you are in need of sexing offspring as soon as they hatch, this is the color for you!

There is a lighter "chocolate" that is actually the chocolate gene combined with the buff gene.  This isn't necessarily a sign of cross-breeding, it comes from the breed's origin. I haven't had the opportunity to find out if it is an "accepted" color or one to breed away from. I will warn that it CAN show up in this breed.

(Picture examples coming soon.)

Lavender/White

Lavender is a light purple-grey color that fades before molting and with age.  Genetically, these birds are a combination of the chocolate and the blue gene.

 

Blue/White

Blue is recessive to black and dominant to silver. Blue can be easy to confuse with lavender and silver, but it is typically much darker and has a tendency towards "slate grey".  The genetics act the same as Black/Blue/Splash in chickens. We've been fortunate enough to have several nice blues. Occasionally, blues will develop a red/brown rust on their chests (even blending into their shoulders and belly).

 

Silver/White

Silver is still the rarest color. It is a double recessive; a dilute of blue. Same as "splash" in chickens. Visually, they are a very light grey. They have more of a blue undertone, whereas the lavender has a brown undertone. We are working on having more of these available that are well-marked. More pictures will be coming soon!

 

Tricolor
Tricolor is the combination of any two colors and white. It can be any combination, but so far we've seen single recessive base coats with dominant color highlights. The method of inheritance of tricolor is unknown right now. Hopefully, we will be able to get started on figuring this out so we can breed for it!
Chocolate highlights on Lavender base
Black highlights on Blue base
"Rust"
This isn't a color, it's a characteristic of the pattern. Seen in black, chocolate, and blue, it will take on different appearances in each color. Because Runner lines were used to develop this breed, rusting will occur even in the most selective lines. It's "par for the course".
Pictures Coming Soon!
Crested
Though not a color or pattern, it's a fault that can occur in any Mallard-derivative and the breeder needs to be aware. This is a big enough fault to make the bird "pet quality". Not considered "breed standard" (though it is super cute!) Here's a bit of info on "cresting":
Pictures Coming Soon!
Beetle-Green Sheen
The best-marked black and chocolate birds will have a "beetle green" sheen on their coloring. These are the "keeper" birds. The most common place to see this sheen in action will be the Cayuga or Black East Indies duck. Both are known for this beautiful coloring. 
Pictures Coming Soon!