Current Genetic Controversy

There is some controversy over the recent application to standardize Ancona Ducks.
The APA requires that all ducks come out the same and that you choose one egg color as the standard. The breeder applying for the standard runs an Ancona group on Facebook, where the members push for certain characteristics, including colors, body style, and white eggs. All other features are culled or not included in the breeding program.

We are in love with the diversity of the heterozygous genetics and we subscribe to the Dave Holderread guidelines, meaning that we believe that the ducks should be allowed to maintain their genetic diversity and varied scattered pattern in each bird. Even if the scattered pattern is accepted, there are other characteristics that we feel are being “bred out” of the breed. One of the things that draws people to our eggs is the variation in color, and we do not want to lose that or any of the other genetics due to large-scale inbreeding.