Call Ducks

We have been raising Call ducks for about 11 years now.  We raise Grey, Blue Dusky, Dusky, Dark Buff, LIght Buff, Pastel Dusky, Khaki and Aztec Blue Calls.  We did raise Self Blacks, Self Blues and Chocolates but will be selling out in 2021 of those colors.

We have great quality Grey Call Ducks that are Cindy Rusk, Matt Kuecker and Dennis Fuller lines.   We have Blue Dusky Calls, that are Dustin Wilson and Cindy Rusk line.  

Our Grey Calls are great quality and should have several available for sale each year.   We are very excited to have acquired 3 Blue Dusky drakes in 2016. We initially purchased these to enhance the quality of our Khakis.  In 2017 we hatched several very nice qualify Duskys and Blue Duskys that were used for the 2017-2018 breeding year.

The quality of our Blue Duskys have really come through when crossed with our Khakis.  In 2018 all of our Khakis had the Blue Dusky gene bred into them.  This significantly increase the quality of our Khakis.  The birds in the photos are some of our breeders .   Each came from a Khaki hen and a Blue Dusky drake..

In 2018 we hatched our first Dark Buff.  The drakes are the same as the khaki only several shades lighter or the same as a buff only several shades darker.  We were surprised to hatch this color in 2018.  By 2020 breeding season we were lucky to have 2 breeding trios..  In 2020 we have a couple dozen of this color.  we will have several of these available for sale..  In 2018 we also developed the Light Buff and Pastel Dusky.   All of these birds go back to the originally breeding of Dustin Wilson and Cindy Rusk.

In the 2021 - 22 breeding season we will be focusing in the continued effort to enhance the quality of our Aztec Blues.  We will also be crossing them with our Dusky, Khaki and Buff colors.  This first year we will only hatch these colors that are split to Aztec Blue.  It wont be until the 2022 - 2023 breeding season that we will have  "Aztec Blue" Duskys, "Aztec Blue Khakis and Aztec Blue Buffs.   We are hoping the colors we hatch will resemble those of a Silver Wood Duck (Duskys), Platinum Wood Duck (Khakis) and a White Wood Duck (Buffs).  We are very excited to see where this bring us.

Light Buff Call Duck

Pastel Dusky Call Duck

Pastel Dusky Call Drake

Pastel Dusky Call Hen

Light Buff Call Drake

Light Buff Call Hen

There has been a significant amount of conversation and controversy over what the true color of these ducks would be.   We have questioned if these birds are Aztec Blue Calls or if they are Silver Calls.   Based on the genetics of the birds they are a true silver. Which genetically  means they are a recessive blue.    

These birds do not have the dominant blue gene  like most of the Aztec Blues out there.  When these  Call  Ducks are mated with a Grey the offspring are 100% Grey Split.   When you breed an Dominant Blue Gened Aztec Blue Mallard or Call duck to a Grey  your offspring will come out with the color Blue.

Our Aztec Blues genetics are similar to a Silver Wood Duck.   If you breed a Grey Split to an Aztec Blue you will get 50% Aztec Blue and 50% Grey Split

The story behind these birds are unknown, we do not know how they were developed or where they came from.  What we know is Marilyn Pikal purchased some of these birds as call ducks from a lady in Wisconsin back in 2009.    Marilyn has been raising them ever since.  She showed them a bit in 2013-2014 and that is when they were identified as Aztec Blues.  She crossed them with greys  to enhance their qualify..

In 2019, Marilyn was down to 7 of these beautiful birds.  I took a trio of them and bred them to show quality Greys.   I then received a dozen split  birds.  I gave half back to Marilyn and kept the other half.  The 2020-2021 breeding season  has been very successful for me.  I hatched about 30 Grey Splits and about 25 Aztec Blues.  Overall I am happy with the qualify of the hens.  The drakes have a call duck lucking body but have a lot of work yet on the bills, neck and head. 

I will be selling all splits in pairs in 2021 and will be keeping all the Aztec Blues to breed back to Greys for 2022 splits.  The goal is to have some nice looking show qualify Silvers in 2023.  

These photos do not do the birds any justice.  These are absolutely gorgeous birds!

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Dark Buff Call Duck