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By Delci Plouffe

5 Tips to Breeding for Colored Ducks Eggs (+Duck Egg Color Chart!)

Ducks can lay beautiful egg colors! Here is an overview of duck egg color, with a chart included to give you an idea of what to expect from 14 different breeds of ducks. There is also an overview of how genetics determine egg color and how you can breed ducks for specific egg colors as well. Read more here…

Duck Egg color and 5 tips on how to breed for colored duck eggs.

Duck Egg Color You’ll Definitely Want to Have!

Duck Eggs and Their Interesting Facts:

If you are interested, this link: duck egg facts, will answer all your questions. Do duck eggs taste the same as chicken eggs? Are duck eggs better for you than a chicken egg? After reading this article about duck egg color, come back to the link above and find out more about these eggs and 10 tips on how to sell them efficiently.

*We get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here for more info about cookies collected and our privacy policy.

What is the color of a duck egg? And they blue or green?

Originally, of course, all ducks were wild.

And wild ducks laid eggs that would blend into their surroundings. This disguise helped, and still does help, prevent predators from finding the eggs.

  • Dark caves and holes: White Shells
  • Riparian areas: Green Tint
  • Treetop canopies: Blue
  • Barren rocks: Speckled

But now, unlike chickens, where Marans lay chocolate eggs, and leghorns lay white eggs and Americanas lay blue eggs, the duck egg follows its own set of rules when it comes to its egg color.

You can find a lot of articles here on A Life of Heritage that will teach you a lot about poultry and be sure to check out DUCK DOUGH: Profitable Poultry Binder–It’s FULL of to-do lists, checklists, record keeping sheets, and resource pages that will keep your flock healthy and YOU organized!

In the 1800s, when ducks became “cool” to raise and breed, white was also “cool”. So ducks that laid white eggs, were kept and bred. And because the wild birds laid colored eggs, it became a “badge of purity” for domestic ducks to lay white eggs. It was their way of telling the difference between domestic and wild ducks.

What do ducks eat? Mallard eating and foraging for food

Duck Egg Color Genetics (Somewhat) Demystified

Genetics are so tricky.

The long and short of it is this:

  • Green shells (G): with biliverdin, are DOMINANT
  • White shells (W): without biliverdin, are recessive

If the hen has a strong (G) gene, this gene will most likely pass on but not always.

Many ducks will have both the (G) and (W) genes.

This can be expressed like this:

  • (Gg): Two green genes
  • (Gw): Dominant green gene over recessive white
  • (Ww): two white genes

And because of all the variables, there is no way to guarantee duck egg color.

If you have the desire, time, and energy, you can breed your ducks and isolate desired egg colors.

This would look something like the following. For more blue egg layers:

  • Choose ducks with a strong (G) gene. Like Metzer’s Black or Chocolate Runners.
  • Keep hens that lay blue eggs.
  • Breed to drakes that hatched from blue eggs.
  • Raise the ducklings and keep those who lay blue eggs when they start laying.
  • And breed them to drakes that hatch from blue eggs.

This will eventually dilute the (W) gene. But don’t forget! That (W) gene can pop up at any moment, just to keep you on your toes!

What Color are Runner Duck Eggs?

Runner ducks lay an egg color that is somewhere between white and blue-green.

The Black and Chocolate Runners will usually have a “sooty” outer shell at the beginning of their laying season. But as the season progresses, the color can end up being as white as any other Runner.

~Source

What Ducks Lay a Black Egg?

The Cayuga and Black East Indian have a tendency to lay a “blackish” colored egg in the earlier days of their laying season.

Rouen Duck Egg Color

Rouens lay an egg that is slightly off-white.

Pekin Duck Egg Color

Pekins also lay a white egg.

You can read more about ducks breeds here, in fact, there are 14 breeds that could be a great match for your flock! It will give you a good overview of the duck’s characteristics and the color of the egg they lay.

Enjoy the Duck Egg Color Chart Below!

Duck egg color chart

 

More duck color info

Read more about ducks here:
• 14 Duck Breeds You Can Own!
• What Do Ducks Eat
• How-To Guide to Raising Ducks

• Raising Healthy Ducklings

Be sure to check out DUCK DOUGH: Profitable Poultry Binder–It’s FULL of to-do lists, checklists, record keeping sheets, and resource pages that will keep your flock healthy and YOU organized!

Filed Under: Ducks, Farm LivingTagged With: Ducks

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Comments

  1. Tammiesays

    at 3:29 am

    Welsh Harlequin. Not Welch. I’m sure this is a typo. Good information.

    Reply
    • Delci Plouffesays

      at 9:28 am

      Oh yes, it was! And of course, it was on the infographic! lol, And do you know how many times I type “next” instead of “nest”?? Thanks for pointing it out, I’ll get that changed 🙂

      Reply
      • Daneillesays

        at 12:22 pm

        Hello
        Thank you for this wonderful information. I have 3 pekins I got a rescues that turned out to be 2 hens a and a Dreke and now I have 6 more 3 month old ducks 4 malerds an Indian runner and a malerd/orkin. Ducks are so precious and amazing to watch!

        Reply
  2. Lorettasays

    at 11:44 am

    Thanks for the information and the infographic! I have Rouens and two of my hens lay beautiful green eggs; so pretty!

    Reply
    • Delci Plouffesays

      at 6:18 pm

      Oh! That’s wonderful! And you are welcome!

      Reply
  3. Rachealsays

    at 3:39 am

    Thanks for this info! I have about 4 gold phase Welsh Harlequin ducks that lay a pretty green egg, and I wondered why.

    Reply

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