How to sex Muscovy ducklings

[suzy4027]

I have a question about mallard drake, Muscovy female crosses. Is there ANY rule that could slightly apply when it comes to sexing them?! One of my neighbors has 2 that are in my yard as much as hers. I've named them Lavender and Jersey. Jersey is clearly a female, but Lavender....? Idk. May be LaVANder. Lol. I just noticed that Lavender has black spots on her yellow bill. That a female trait, correct?

I love the coloring!

Doesn't she look like a jersey calf?! Her feathers look like suede. They're both so pretty and just chirp around the yard. Lol.

 

[suzy4027]

Sorry for the icky pics. We're still working on me not being a threat... They wouldn't be still! Slow as they are and I STILL couldn't get a clear pic.

Here's my goofballs.

Doing their best to destroy something.

Nothing to see here mom, move along...

Sorry. Know they're not muscovies, just couldn't help myself. I love the neighbors ducks and would even keep the 2 young ones if my drake had turned out to be aggressive with my female. Thankfully, he's not. He's low man on the totem pole and when mine are out, the young ones chase him. Lol. No keeping them in a coop together!

Im always out there so no one gets hurt.

 

[Mariejulianna]

I have a question about mallard drake, Muscovy female crosses. Is there ANY rule that could slightly apply when it comes to sexing them?! One of my neighbors has 2 that are in my yard as much as hers. I've named them Lavender and Jersey. Jersey is clearly a female, but Lavender....? Idk. May be LaVANder. Lol. I just noticed that Lavender has black spots on her yellow bill. That a female trait, correct?

I love the coloring!

Doesn't she look like a jersey calf?! Her feathers look like suede. They're both so pretty and just chirp around the yard. Lol.

 

[Mariejulianna]

Are your mallard Welsh Harlequin? they look very pretty!

 

[suzy4027]

Thank you! Both are WH. We got them at a feed store! I chose WH because I could sex by the bills, right...? Not so much. I wanted 2 girls but ended up with a pair. Tater is the drake and Tot is the duck. She just started laying eggs and has made the cutest little nest! I'm way too intimidated by an incubator so I thought I'd see if she'd go broody. Not holding my breath. Lol. She used to be a spaz and Tater was so laid back. Now, she wants to chat and he wants to be her guardian. He sasses over his shoulder as he heads the other direction. He's kept his manners, thank goodness! We just turn around and make him go the other direction if he wants to flex his muscles. Lol. He's such a wuss. She's always run the show an they're Deff a bonded pair. I've seen them mate ONCE, but we ate one of the eggs she didn't want and it was fertilized. It was also double yolked! I figured she knew twins would be a lot of work. Lol
Neither of the scovy crosses have caruncles. Isn't genetics a blast! One is so mallard in type, and the other, so not. Dad was a beautiful lunatic of a duck. Lavender's color comes from him. They both have the squeak and have both quacked in the past! Hence my assumption all rules are out the window. Lol
I have a pic of dad that I previously posted, but apparently I deleted off my phone. A shame because he's beautiful. He's gone back to his original home because he was so aggressive. He spent so much time chasing some juveniles they had, he couldn't keep weight on, they weren't growing once they went into the yard and none of them could just take a breath and chill. Otherwise he was quite sweet and the court jester. Hormones hit him like a freight train. He stayed until momma started sitting eggs and then... Buh bye. Lol
Here's the babies on their first day.

I was actually good with the babies being sterile. I figured if Tater was a typical freak, we could up or ratio and only hatch from our original pair. Weeeeell... They aren't having anything to do with him and Tot keeps him in line. I'm good with just the 2!
This is why I was hopeful for 2 females.

Tater's head was feminine enough and he had juuuust enough lighter pink for my wishful thinking. Lol. God had other plans.
I could prattle on all day about ducks, but I won't put you through that.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Mariejulianna]

Oh my! The one in the back is so muscovy! Almost all the white and yellow babies have that cute streak thingy by their eye! I really wanted WH ducks but I was told I could only have muscovy because they are quiet! LOL! And you know what? I have 2 mallards now (the rules changed haha!) and my favs are still and always will be the muscovies!! I just love their weirdness or uniqueness! LOL!!

 

[suzy4027]

Agreed! I've come to appreciate the diff that is Muscovy! Lol

 

[Lengerich Farms]

Okay so all of mine have stubby wings lol, but going by the legs it looks like two tree trucks two twigs (unless one of the ladie has some serious cankles).

Is it true that you need at leas three females to a male? Mine have been adopted buy a pair of Pekins that will hit the dinner table once their purpose has been served, but k don't k ow if I'll have to cull one of the Muscovys too

 

[happychick24]

what's everyone think... Make or female?!

 

[aideen]

Can anyone help me tell the sex of these two ducks as i am a first timer.

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