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My Mallards - Page 3

post #21 of 46
5/25/12 at 10:26pm

I see a couple of birds that are developing a greenish tint to their bills. That is usually a good indication that you have males. 

 

They are beautiful, by the way! I love my mallards!

Mom to 3 humans, 1 dog, 1 cat, and 9 mallards that I incubated. Life is just ducky!

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Mom to 3 humans, 1 dog, 1 cat, and 9 mallards that I incubated. Life is just ducky!

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post #22 of 46
5/26/12 at 2:32am

I love my mallards too. The drakes do not sound anything like the females. They have a raspy, low kind of quack that sounds like they have a really sore throat. Much quieter. If you have real loud quackers, they are females. I was the same as you when we originally got ours, but when we finally got a drake, the difference was apples and oranges.

 

Enjoy them. We've got some hatching as I write this!

3 Mallards, 2 Rouens (1 drake),  Jumbo Pekin, Welsh Harlequin, 8 hens - RIRs, Gold-laced Wyandotte, Buff Orpington, Silver-Laced Wyandotte, Buff Brahma, Welsummer, 2 Roo's - Delaware, Speckled Sussex, 1 lovable old dog, 2 geckos, 2 snakes, 2 goldfish, 1 male Beta

RIP Ghost, Gene and Onyx - we miss you girls

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3 Mallards, 2 Rouens (1 drake),  Jumbo Pekin, Welsh Harlequin, 8 hens - RIRs, Gold-laced Wyandotte, Buff Orpington, Silver-Laced Wyandotte, Buff Brahma, Welsummer, 2 Roo's - Delaware, Speckled Sussex, 1 lovable old dog, 2 geckos, 2 snakes, 2 goldfish, 1 male Beta

RIP Ghost, Gene and Onyx - we miss you girls

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post #23 of 46
5/26/12 at 6:08am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoingQuackers View Post

I see a couple of birds that are developing a greenish tint to their bills. That is usually a good indication that you have males. 

 

They are beautiful, by the way! I love my mallards!

Thanks! Two of my birds have the greenish beak. I was a little afraid I would end up with 4 males and 2 females, but it's visa-versa, which seems pretty fair for the girls. 

 

"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we to the Lord.

 Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's"

                                                       

                                                            Romans 13:7-8

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"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we to the Lord.

 Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's"

                                                       

                                                            Romans 13:7-8

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post #24 of 46
5/26/12 at 6:56am
I see at least 3 males and one female, but I can't tell the rest. Generally, males will begin to get their adult plumage around 5 months of age, but their bills will turn green or yellow and their voice will turn raspy as early as six weeks. I have never heard of any mallards living to 20 years old. The average lifespan is about 8 years, some may live to 10 or 11 if all their health needs are met.

Killdeers, phoebes and finches (My bird blog)

God bless baby killdeers and ducklings   

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Killdeers, phoebes and finches (My bird blog)

God bless baby killdeers and ducklings   

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post #25 of 46
5/26/12 at 7:00am
Thread Starter 

I do have one whose bill is kind of yellow, but I thought that was a girl. Will a hens bill just be black?

 

"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we to the Lord.

 Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's"

                                                       

                                                            Romans 13:7-8

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"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we to the Lord.

 Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's"

                                                       

                                                            Romans 13:7-8

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post #26 of 46
5/26/12 at 7:24am

How old are they? Mallard drakes don't get their tail curls or their beautiful colors until 4-5 months of age. My ducks all looked and sounded female until that age. It blew my mind watching them go through a second awkward feather phase to change colors.

 

If you end up with no drakes, I'll gladly give you my three! My drake to hen ratio is way off! Too many boys!

 

700

These were my mallards at around 2 months old!

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post #27 of 46
5/26/12 at 7:30am
Thread Starter 

They look like they have a destination in mind! :) Mine are 7 weeks and getting ready for their next stage in life- flying! Here's a question: do ducks have 'leaders'? 

 

"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we to the Lord.

 Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's"

                                                       

                                                            Romans 13:7-8

Reply

 

"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we to the Lord.

 Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's"

                                                       

                                                            Romans 13:7-8

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post #28 of 46
5/26/12 at 7:39am

My mallard that I believe is male has a white collar around his neck. He is 6 weeks old and getting a lot of green on his head.  His tail feathers already seem to be starting to curl. His voice is super deep. I think all of yours are females.

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post #29 of 46
5/27/12 at 6:39pm

These are my 3 mallards and a Rouen (the front duckling) at about 3 months of age. I was told "for certain" the Rouen and the one facing left were drakes. Well they all turned out to be female. The Rouen even developed a sort of white ring around her neck for awhile, but it disappeared at about 5 months. Her quack was extremely low pitched, but it was a quack. The drakes just don't sound at all like they quack. You'll know soon enough!!!!

IMG_1273.JPG

3 Mallards, 2 Rouens (1 drake),  Jumbo Pekin, Welsh Harlequin, 8 hens - RIRs, Gold-laced Wyandotte, Buff Orpington, Silver-Laced Wyandotte, Buff Brahma, Welsummer, 2 Roo's - Delaware, Speckled Sussex, 1 lovable old dog, 2 geckos, 2 snakes, 2 goldfish, 1 male Beta

RIP Ghost, Gene and Onyx - we miss you girls

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3 Mallards, 2 Rouens (1 drake),  Jumbo Pekin, Welsh Harlequin, 8 hens - RIRs, Gold-laced Wyandotte, Buff Orpington, Silver-Laced Wyandotte, Buff Brahma, Welsummer, 2 Roo's - Delaware, Speckled Sussex, 1 lovable old dog, 2 geckos, 2 snakes, 2 goldfish, 1 male Beta

RIP Ghost, Gene and Onyx - we miss you girls

Reply
post #30 of 46
6/16/12 at 3:43pm
Thread Starter 

I just wanted to say thanks for all the info. My males got their voice. I love hearing their quack :). But I have another question. My biggest is a male. I think. I've never heard him "quack", like my girls, but he doesn't really sound like the boys either. Thoughts? 

 

"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we to the Lord.

 Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's"

                                                       

                                                            Romans 13:7-8

Reply

 

"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we to the Lord.

 Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's"

                                                       

                                                            Romans 13:7-8

Reply
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