Button - My Foster Muscovy! Gender???

[FiFirefly]

Hi there!

I'm very new to this but I've been looking after a duckling for 5 weeks now which was abandoned by its mum so I've been the foster momma duck to Button for 5 weeks. I was just wondering if anyone could maybe tell by these photos whether little Button is a female or male?! We believe Button to be Muscovy but cannot be 100% certain

Look forward to hearing from you guys!

 

[FiFirefly]

Sorry here are some more photos!

They might be better photos

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sorry here are some more photos!




They might be better photos

Welcome to BYC, at 5 weeks it is still a little early to say although Buttons legs look pretty far apart under him/her which makes me think drake But I'd still give it a couple weeks before saying absolutely. What are your plans for Button once he is adult size? asking because he may have some trouble adjusting to the wild side since he has been raised by you and not taught to learn survival skills from his duck mama. Sure is a cutie makes me think of my house duck Opie. when he was tiny.

 

[FiFirefly]

Hi there thanks so much for replying so quickly! In actual fact Button goes back to the little animal sanctuary that found him/her this morning it's going to break my heart but Button will be gently introduced to the other ducks and will live in a sort of domestic duck pen so he will be outdoors etc but just not in the wild. I will still be able to visit but I doubt Button will remember me after a few more weeks. I will be able to take photos though so will keep a record of changes do you think Button is fairly small for 5 weeks or is that quite a normal size? I presume if yes then the growth from now will be pretty quick?

Eugh it's going to be tough handing this baby over, gonna miss Button like crazy

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi there thanks so much for replying so quickly! In actual fact Button goes back to the little animal sanctuary that found him/her this morning

it's going to break my heart but Button will be gently introduced to the other ducks and will live in a sort of domestic duck pen so he will be outdoors etc but just not in the wild. I will still be able to visit but I doubt Button will remember me after a few more weeks. I will be able to take photos though so will keep a record of changes

do you think Button is fairly small for 5 weeks or is that quite a normal size? I presume if yes then the growth from now will be pretty quick?

Eugh it's going to be tough handing this baby over, gonna miss Button like crazy

@FiFirefly
I have to say you are a sweet heart for taking Button in and caring for him. so many don't make it and to know he is going where he will continue to be cared for is a big relief, yes Button is small for 5 weeks not saying you didn't take good care of him but I think he looks very healthy and will probably really start to go now that he has hit that 5 week mark. I hope you'll share pics of Button once he gets settled in to his new home I'd love to see what he colors out to be and how he is doing. Muscovy's are a special breed. You have become mama to Button so if you visit often I think you'll be surprised how much he'll remember you.

I wish you and Button the Best.

 

[FiFirefly]

@FiFirefly


I have to say you are a sweet heart for taking Button in and caring for him. so many don't make it and to know he is going where he will continue to be cared for is a big relief, yes Button is small for 5 weeks not saying you didn't take good care of him  but I think he looks very healthy and will probably really start to go now that he has hit that 5 week mark. I hope you'll share pics of Button once he gets settled in to his new home I'd love to see what he colors out to be and how he is doing. Muscovy's are a special breed. You have become mama to Button so if you visit often I think you'll be surprised how much he'll remember you. I wish you and Button the Best.

y

Aww thank you so much I must say it was really tough letting Button go this morning, a serious tug on the heart strings I had a cry but Button was ever so brave but I had a look around where Button will be growing up and it is a lovely place full of so many ducks, chickens and geese it's like a perfect ducky village! Button will harden off a bit at first but when a bit bigger will go in with the others. In actual fact, it seems that we now believe a wee call duck to be the potential father and the mother muscovy is quite a small duck, so that might explain why Button is little I will definitely be visiting though, I can't wait! Apparently at the moment Button is settling down with 3 young chicks so hopefully won't be lonely I will definitely post more photos so we can see the colouring! He/she has been such an amazing little friend, ducks are truly wonderful animals! I had no idea they would form such a lovely bond

 

[Miss Lydia]

y

Aww thank you so much

I must say it was really tough letting Button go this morning, a serious tug on the heart strings

I had a cry but Button was ever so brave

but I had a look around where Button will be growing up and it is a lovely place full of so many ducks, chickens and geese it's like a perfect ducky village!

Button will harden off a bit at first but when a bit bigger will go in with the others. In actual fact, it seems that we now believe a wee call duck to be the potential father and the mother muscovy is quite a small duck, so that might explain why Button is little

I will definitely be visiting though, I can't wait! Apparently at the moment Button is settling down with 3 young chicks so hopefully won't be lonely

I will definitely post more photos so we can see the colouring! He/she has been such an amazing little friend, ducks are truly wonderful animals! I had no idea they would form such a lovely bond

I bet that was hard. I sit here typing with my drake Opie laying right next to me, he was rejected by his mama so dh and I brought him inside and raised him he had daily outside time with all the other ducks with me right there so he was use to inside out side when it was time for him to go outside, At 10 weeks we made the complete transition to outside and then at 12 weeks we got him 3 girls of his very own. But at 4 yrs old he still likes to come inside and spend time with us and then he'll go back out and be with his girls. Do you think you'll do this again foster more ducklings?

I look forward to seeing Button as he grows up. Maybe Button is female after all if mixed with Call

 

[FiFirefly]

Awww how lovely!! They are so sociable and I had no idea! Such friendly things. Button so loves company Wish I could have kept him but I just don't have a suitable environment for an adult duck. I suppose in the future I will be able to create more of a suitable area for an adult duck and hopefully I can have a couple then. They are great great friends! That's so lovely that you've had yours so long already!

Yes definitely will post more photos when I get them Can't wait to see some cute ducky feathers!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Awww how lovely!! They are so sociable and I had no idea! Such friendly things. Button so loves company

Wish I could have kept him but I just don't have a suitable environment for an adult duck. I suppose in the future I will be able to create more of a suitable area for an adult duck and hopefully I can have a couple then. They are great great friends! That's so lovely that you've had yours so long already!

Yes definitely will post more photos when I get them

Can't wait to see some cute ducky feathers!

Look forward to seeing pics and hearing how Button is doing.

 

[FiFirefly]

Well I managed to get a few up to date photos of little Button who is not so little these days!! Growing up so fast and now developing proper little tail feathers, feathers on back and under wings! So proud of this ducky! His legs are getting pretty solid and chunky too and are quite wide in stance so I'm thinking maybe boy? Here are some pics anyway!!