I have 2 Pekin ducks that were hatched on app Sept 3, 2012. The larger of the 2 has 3 curled feathers on it's tail, the smaller one has 1 curled feather on it's tail. I read that sometimes the males will have 1 black feather in the middle of their back but have yet see any sign of a black feather in all that white.
Whenever I clean out their kiddie pool to add fresh water (every 2 days) the larger duck starts this head bobbing action, grabs the smaller duck by the neck and tries to mount him/her/it. The smaller duck is like, "get off me jerk", then they end up in the water playing and splashing and all is well.
They both make the same "sound", sort of a mumbled chatter of low quacks run together.
They live in the chicken coop and run with my flock of chickens and get along very well with everyone, including my 2 roosters.
Question #1: Am I correct in assuming they are both males and the larger duck is simply showing dominance over the smaller duck, or is it possible the smaller duck is actually a female?
Since I have been assuming they were both males, I recently ordered 2 "sexed female ducklings", that are now 4 weeks old. I have been keeping the ducklings in a separate brooding area inside my chicken coop so that they would have visual and voice recognition once I incorporate them in with the rest of the flock. Up until yesterday I have been carrying them to a completely separate area for daily swims in a kiddie pool. This is getting to be a little bit of a pain in the butt.
Yesterday when I went to give everyone their afternoon treats and fresh swimming water for the older ducks I let the ducklings into the yard just to see what would happen. Since nobody was paying them any attention I got their kiddie pool and put it in the chicken yard some distance from the older ducks pool, filled it up about half way just in case I had a problem and went to clean out their separate quarters, add fresh water to their water-er, etc.
So the ducklings are in their little pool having a good ol time and all of a sudden I hear one of them crying out. I turn to see what is happening and one of the older ducks (not exactly sure which one but I think it was the adult duck with only 1 curled tail feather) has grabbed one of the ducklings by the neck. Not as in "had the whole neck in it's bill" kind of thing, more like "a few fuzzy neck feathers". Similar to what the larger adult duck does to the smaller adult duck as I am adding fresh water to their pool.
I shooed the adults off to their pool and as I just happened to have a portable puppy pen in the yard, stretched it out to somewhat block the adults from the ducklings and went back to what I was doing. Just about the time I finished my cleaning the adults had made their way around and DID IT AGAIN.
Yes, got that part---It is NOT time to incorporate the new ducklings in with the adult ducks. Which brings me to...
Question #2: At what age can/could I safely let the ducklings in with the adult ducks?
I know 2 males and 2 females is not a good ratio. I have been thinking about calling around to see if I can find a Vet willing to vent sex everyone for me, then keeping only 1 male. I was thinking about having that done a week or two "before" I actually tried (again) to incorporate the ducklings. If the 2 adults are in fact both male, and I have to re-home 1, I was thinking of waiting until it got closer to incorporation day, so the male I do keep would not be too lonely waiting. Or would that make it easier if he "was" lonely? Not sure what to do at this point as my chickens/roosters could care less and I "could" incorporate the ducklings any time as far as they are concerned.
As a side note: In the last two weeks both ducklings have begun to make a very definitive "quack sound" unlike anything I have heard coming from our two adult ducks, so I am guessing that is the "sound" of a female. (?)
What to do, what to do, what to do........?
Whenever I clean out their kiddie pool to add fresh water (every 2 days) the larger duck starts this head bobbing action, grabs the smaller duck by the neck and tries to mount him/her/it. The smaller duck is like, "get off me jerk", then they end up in the water playing and splashing and all is well.
They both make the same "sound", sort of a mumbled chatter of low quacks run together.
They live in the chicken coop and run with my flock of chickens and get along very well with everyone, including my 2 roosters.
Question #1: Am I correct in assuming they are both males and the larger duck is simply showing dominance over the smaller duck, or is it possible the smaller duck is actually a female?
Since I have been assuming they were both males, I recently ordered 2 "sexed female ducklings", that are now 4 weeks old. I have been keeping the ducklings in a separate brooding area inside my chicken coop so that they would have visual and voice recognition once I incorporate them in with the rest of the flock. Up until yesterday I have been carrying them to a completely separate area for daily swims in a kiddie pool. This is getting to be a little bit of a pain in the butt.
Yesterday when I went to give everyone their afternoon treats and fresh swimming water for the older ducks I let the ducklings into the yard just to see what would happen. Since nobody was paying them any attention I got their kiddie pool and put it in the chicken yard some distance from the older ducks pool, filled it up about half way just in case I had a problem and went to clean out their separate quarters, add fresh water to their water-er, etc.
So the ducklings are in their little pool having a good ol time and all of a sudden I hear one of them crying out. I turn to see what is happening and one of the older ducks (not exactly sure which one but I think it was the adult duck with only 1 curled tail feather) has grabbed one of the ducklings by the neck. Not as in "had the whole neck in it's bill" kind of thing, more like "a few fuzzy neck feathers". Similar to what the larger adult duck does to the smaller adult duck as I am adding fresh water to their pool.
I shooed the adults off to their pool and as I just happened to have a portable puppy pen in the yard, stretched it out to somewhat block the adults from the ducklings and went back to what I was doing. Just about the time I finished my cleaning the adults had made their way around and DID IT AGAIN.
Yes, got that part---It is NOT time to incorporate the new ducklings in with the adult ducks. Which brings me to...
Question #2: At what age can/could I safely let the ducklings in with the adult ducks?
I know 2 males and 2 females is not a good ratio. I have been thinking about calling around to see if I can find a Vet willing to vent sex everyone for me, then keeping only 1 male. I was thinking about having that done a week or two "before" I actually tried (again) to incorporate the ducklings. If the 2 adults are in fact both male, and I have to re-home 1, I was thinking of waiting until it got closer to incorporation day, so the male I do keep would not be too lonely waiting. Or would that make it easier if he "was" lonely? Not sure what to do at this point as my chickens/roosters could care less and I "could" incorporate the ducklings any time as far as they are concerned.
As a side note: In the last two weeks both ducklings have begun to make a very definitive "quack sound" unlike anything I have heard coming from our two adult ducks, so I am guessing that is the "sound" of a female. (?)
What to do, what to do, what to do........?
