2 girls? or not?

[sunnie7]

I was so confused for awhile because I thought mine were mating...mine are around 16 weeks and I’m already getting eggs....one day I got 3....and I don’t see any drake feathers at this point. So I’m pretty sure I have 3 girls

 

[dpedroniduck]

they both quack although one is definitely louder than the other. one of them has never really done a full on quack but doesn't do the raspy quack a Male does. I know now that the only reason females are charged more is because people want eggs. and okay them mounting each other makes sense but would they also be thrusting and everything? they start flirting and bobbing their heads up and down and then one lays flat like she's going to be mounted and the other one gets on top, grabs the neck and then thrusts and stuff. and it's the same duck on top each time. neither of them have the drake feather but I also read that that takes a while to come in and I don't think they're old enough for that. I guess my concern is that I read about hermaphrodite ducks but I also read that they are extremely rare. does what I just described sound like mounting for dominance still?

 

[dpedroniduck]

they both quack although one is definitely louder than the other. one of them has never really done a full on quack but doesn't do the raspy quack a Male does. I know now that the only reason females are charged more is because people want eggs. and okay them mounting each other makes sense but would they also be thrusting and everything? they start flirting and bobbing their heads up and down and then one lays flat like she's going to be mounted and the other one gets on top, grabs the neck and then thrusts and stuff. and it's the same duck on top each time. neither of them have the drake feather but I also read that that takes a while to come in and I don't think they're old enough for that. I guess my concern is that I read about hermaphrodite ducks but I also read that they are extremely rare. does what I just described sound like mounting for dominance still?

also I know they've reached sexual maturity because one of them discharges the lubrication back there...if you know what I'm talking about, and I read that was a sign of sexual maturity.

 

[Trisseh]

While I was without a drake, my crested Swedish would routinely “mate” with my silver appleyard. They were both laying eggs and were definitely both female. They would complete the whole ritual, even to the point of tail shaking after the fact. In the absence of a drake, they seem to role play. Lol.
Beware though that some drakes, when their voices are changing, do have a more girly sounding voice for a bit. I have a runner that I was sure was female until I saw a very obvious male appendage.

 

[dpedroniduck]

While I was without a drake, my crested Swedish would routinely “mate” with my silver appleyard. They were both laying eggs and were definitely both female. They would complete the whole ritual, even to the point of tail shaking after the fact. In the absence of a drake, they seem to role play. Lol.
Beware though that some drakes, when their voices are changing, do have a more girly sounding voice for a bit. I have a runner that I was sure was female until I saw a very obvious male appendage.

that's so interesting. I'm learning more and more about ducks everyday it seems! Lol! I researched when they lay eggs and it said at around 28 weeks of age so I still have a few more weeks until then. at this point I'm just waiting and seeing because I'm at a loss. the duck in question I think definitely exhibits female behavior, because when I pet or scratch her, she does the whole prepare-to-mount stance and starts leaking lubrication, but she's also the one on top during the "mating." but thank you. my mom and I were both wondering if maybe they were just acting or something

 

[dpedroniduck]

Update: my "bottom" duck has started laying eggs but the other one has not and they're the same age so if they are both females, I'm at a loss as to why the other one is not. I bought a cheap incubator because I don't want to spend too much money since I'm not even sure that the eggs are being fertilized but I'm seeing where it goes. According to the instruction manual I should candle the first one she laid today. I'm just really confused now and I'm waiting to see where it goes, but I'm hoping for duckling grandchildren

 

[sierraforest]

My two girls also engage in mounting one another, though one tends to be much more aggressive than the other and is clearly the dominate one. I'm currently trying to figure out the best way to stop Connie from pulling out and breaking feathers on top of Julie's head when Connie's on top and holding on. I'm worried that only keeping two ducks is too few and encourages them to focus so much attention on each other that possibly the solution is to grow the flock—which we're not able to do right now.