Sexing

[dragonfly126]

I have a rather strange question. I am such a NEWBIE sorry all. When sexing your ducklings I read it can get harder the older they get. What if you can not find them at all??? Is it possible to be hatched without ???
I am asking b/c I have a duckling I call No-neck. Named so because it waddles around with it's neck tucked in. Very rarely does it extend it's neck. Anyway this particular duckling seems to have an extended belly. It is soft but I was wondering if it could be retaining fluid or something. It appears to be sluggish, does not follow the pack when they go foraging.Seems to just sit in the shallow puddle. Some times when the Mother and siblings come back it will hook up with them but stay in the back. We can not seem to find it's genitals. So that had me wondering about whether or not if they could possibly be born without genitals??? And if that is not the issue what is going on with it??

 

[daidyducks]

What breed are your ducks?
I have two Pekins and the way I was able to tell is usually drakes (males) have a curved feather at the end of their tail. It's feather just sorta curves up, while a hens tail is just straight with no curves... Drakes are also bigger in size and have a thicker neck.. On the other hand hens are very small hope this helps!

 

[ducks and geese]

The drakes have a whispery voice while the females have the original quack

 

[learycow]

Yes, what breed is this duck and how old?

Usually around 8 - 10 weeks you can tell gender by voice sexing. As stated above, females have a loud quack while males have a more raspy, quiet sound.

And around 12-16 weeks the males will develop a sex feather, which is a curly feather at the base of their tail. And some breeds have distinct features you can sex by such as green heads, more colorful bodies, etc.

But if you have muscovies, they don't get the sex feather or the different voices. These are sexed based on their body size as males are big and females stay small.

As for vent sexing, you shouldn't do it unless they are under a week old, and you have experience. You can seriously injure their reproductive parts if done improperly. Though you won't know it until they are old enough to lay eggs and mate. You can vent sex older ducks to tell their gender, but as I said above, there are many other ways to tell so there's no need to vent sex.

And it sounds like your duck has an actual problem. The symptoms you mentioned have nothing to do with gender.

 

[dragonfly126]

We have Muscovy's and one drake Pekin. Every morning he appears sluggish. It eats well gets plenty to drink. But does not follow the flock when they go forging. It stays close to home and the pond. When the mother and the rest return No-neck joins them but still lagging behind everyone else. Like I said it's lower abdomen is full looking and soft to the touch. I've held it for awhile and it never tried to get away from me. It is very content with me holding it and patting it. My hubby thinks it has something to do with the weather change thinking it is getting too cold. I told him it can not be that or they all would be affected by the change.

 

[dragonfly126]

Hello everyone. I have sad news. No-neck passed away in the wee early hours this morning. I am not at all surprised, but very sad. We did find out what was wrong. No-neck had no gender. It had no gender organ at all. Basically it drowned in its own fluids. My hubby and son checked it out and found that it's heart was enlarged and the membrane around it's lungs were full of fluid. It's abdominal cavity was full of urine and blood. We are thankful it has livede this long.Thank you everyone for your help and concern. All other ducklings are doing well.

 

[ducks and geese]

That's to bad

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Wow I've never heard of that! Hey Clint? Thoughts?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Wow I've never heard of that! Hey Clint? Thoughts?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello everyone. I have sad news. No-neck passed away in the wee early hours this morning. I am not at all surprised, but very sad. We did find out what was wrong. No-neck had no gender. It had no gender organ at all. Basically it drowned in its own fluids. My hubby and son checked it out and found that it's heart was enlarged and the membrane around it's lungs were full of fluid. It's abdominal cavity was full of urine and blood. We are thankful it has livede this long.Thank you everyone for your help and concern. All other ducklings are doing well.

So very sorry for your loss,