2007-03-21 08:23:33 · 8 answers · asked by Barbara C 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Most wild ducklings are actually mottled brown, to blend in with their surroundings and hide from predators. I believe that the yellow of DOMESTIC (only domestic chicks are yellow) baby ducks and chickens was bred in by farmers to make sure that all the young birds could be more easily found and kept track of.
2007-03-21 08:34:05 · answer #1 · answered by Angela M 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I suspect meradar is on the right track. There has to be an evolutionary reason why chicks and ducklings are yellow when freshly hatched. It has to have aided them in survival somehow. Hiding in grassy areas/nest may be the reason but I'm not sure of that as most are born in the spring when things are green. Then again, the animals hunting them may be colorblind to a yellow/green contrast. Many animals are colorblind so this makes sense. There's also the off chance that it isn't anything but the fact that the downy fuzz just reflects light differently.
2007-03-21 08:38:42 · answer #2 · answered by CurazyJ 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Only the ducklings of white ducks are yellow. Ducklings of ducks with other colours are an assortment of yellows, greys, bowns and black - and that includes all the wild ducks. Yellow down becomes white feathers on fledging.
White ducks are the result of breeding domestic ducks to achieve a pure white colour. White ducks are easier to pluck than coloured ducks - if you miss a few small feathers, you don't notice them
2007-03-21 10:20:16 · answer #3 · answered by tentofield 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Most people think that the yoke is the baby bird but it is it's food source while in the egg. The colour comes from eating the yoke until hatching...
2007-03-21 09:46:25 · answer #4 · answered by Moon Man 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because they're covered in down instead of full feathers. Theyre babies lol. It's like "Why do women have breasts and baby girls dont?".
2007-03-21 08:27:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
So they hide better in the grassy nest...
2007-03-21 08:32:04 · answer #6 · answered by meradar 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the egg yolk is still on their feathers
2007-03-21 08:26:42 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Cause the yolk is yellow duh!
2007-03-21 08:26:48 · answer #8 · answered by Sk8terMov 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋