The Buff Orpington Duck Thread

[Grumpypantsmomma]

Hi There, I ordered Buff Orpington Ducks from Metzer a little over a year ago and they are Great ducks. I have two both are Buff for the longest time we thought both were females as we would occasionally get 2 eggs a day from them. Both of them have light bills Beautiful buff color one was shorter and loud one was taller and raspy that is how I figured out that we had a drake and a hen so I plopped some eggs in the incubator and they were fertile. The drake however has a very light brown/buff head almost a shade darker then his buff body to the point that it almost blends together same with the hen for the longest time. The ducklings that hatched out are the same colors as momma and daddy duck they are going on 6 months in April, I know we have at least one drake by his voice and at least one hen by hers but they all look alight in colors including their heads and bills. Momma duck is due to hatch another clutch and I am wondering if they will all be the same color type as well. does anyone else has a buff duck drake that looks like a hen in color? or a hen that a drakes bill color?
How long did it take your drake to get the color on their heads before you knew they were boys?
I love these ducks and plan on breeding them.

 

[subhanalah]

[COLOR=333333]I'm having a problem with one of those ducklings. One has not grown and is getting more and more lethargic. They have niacin in their water. I've looked at his vent and I uhm, actually can't find it. I did find a twisted hard knot of feathers where the vent should be. I soaked him in warm water and washed away what I could, but every time I try to gently peel back those twisted fluff feathers, he squeals like he's dying. Is it possible that this duck was sexed and sexed in such a way that destroyed his vent? Not eating, not interacting and fading fast. I'm thinking if he can't poop, he's not going to eat. He was fine yesterday - little smaller than the others, but they have now all noticeably outgrown him. [/COLOR]

is it possible you were pulling on the umbilicus and not the vent? That would hurt a lot, and may lead to infection. Can you get a picture?

 

[Finny]

Hi There, I ordered Buff Orpington Ducks from Metzer a little over a year ago and they are Great ducks. I have two both are Buff for the longest time we thought both were females as we would occasionally get 2 eggs a day from them. Both of them have light bills Beautiful buff color one was shorter and loud one was taller and raspy that is how I figured out that we had a drake and a hen so I plopped some eggs in the incubator and they were fertile. The drake however has a very light brown/buff head almost a shade darker then his buff body to the point that it almost blends together same with the hen for the longest time. The ducklings that hatched out are the same colors as momma and daddy duck they are going on 6 months in April, I know we have at least one drake by his voice and at least one hen by hers but they all look alight in colors including their heads and bills.  Momma duck is due to hatch another clutch and I am wondering if they will all be the same color type as well. does anyone else has a buff duck drake that looks like a hen in color? or a hen that a drakes bill color? 
How long did it take your drake to get the color on their heads before you knew they were boys?
I love these ducks and plan on breeding them.

I remember it took a little while for my buff drakes to get the darker head color. I thought they were girls at first too. I forget exactly how long it took, but I want to say 16 weeks?

 

[Finny]

That is my drake in the front.

 

[subhanalah]

That is my drake in the front.

"Wub those widdle waddles!" That's all I could think when I saw this picture!

 

[Searsmom]

is it possible you were pulling on the umbilicus and not the vent? That would hurt a lot, and may lead to infection. Can you get a picture?

It was definitely feathers and there was no pulling - it was catch a feather tip in your fingernail and try to slide it away. On the bright side. Soaking in epsom salts did seem to do some good. I put bacitrin on the whole vent area and today there was poop!! YAY! (you know you're nuts when you get excited over poop). So we'll see. He's being more active too. Still touch and go - as a matter of fact, I'll probably always worry about him keeling over - at least until they go outside.

 

[subhanalah]

I'm glad it worked pout and that there was some poop! I can't count the times I've been happy about poop!

 

[Grumpypantsmomma]

Here are my Buff Orpington's I ordered from Metzer Drake in the back, hen in the front. does any one know which of the three categories/ genes these would be?

Here are their 3 ducklings will be almost 6 months in April
No Flash
Flash
No flash
Any guesses on sex? If I had to guess by color I would say they are drakes if i compare them to their daddy, if i go by voice only one of them has a raspy voice the other two have loud quacks it would be 2 hens one drake but i do not think this is the case.
All three ducklings are bigger then momma duck and are only 5 & 1/2 months old today.

 

[MissusDee]

Is the one in the middle the raspy one? Guessing two girls and one drake. Wait, you have had them a year? Are you getting eggs? Males have a curl on the tail (unless it's molting season). Some seasons when they molt, it's harder to tell the males from the females as far as buffs go.

 

[Finny]

Sadly my buff drake was killed by a hawk today :*(