A sooner way to sex!

[1lpoock]

I was watching my welsh harlequin ducklings (4 days old) yesterday. I can already tell their sexes by their bill color. However, I noticed that the females were peeping loud and clear and the male's peeps were raspy and a bit quieter. I think this might actually be a way to sex them by their voice too when they are only ducklings! I mean it held true for the welsh harlequins. Anyone else want to try it out?

 

[Camelot Farms]

That is a tried and true way to sex most ducks.

Males are raspy and sort of hissy. Hens do the actual QUACK! loud and clear.

 

[Bettacreek]

I noticed that some of my 2 week old pekins had the raspyness and others had the high pitchness. Someone told me that it was just a coinky-dink and that I'd have to wait for the hens to honk. Now, at three weeks, they're starting to honk, but I can never figure out who did it to snag and tag them.

 

[1lpoock]

Quote:
Well yeah I know that, but I'm talking about when they are still very young...like day olds...

 

[chickboss]

I have 5 Pekins, 3 are boys and they are a couple of weeks, I think, OMG I'm losing track! Anyway, the boys are marked, so I can harrass them (nicely) tomarrow and see if there is a difference. I'll let you know.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
At 4 days old?!?!?Peep yes, but no QUACK!

 

[rainplace]

welsh harlequins are always sexed through bill color during the first few days

 

[duckyfromoz]

A duckling hatched early today- and since I was away all day at a Poultry show- I took it with me to kep an eye on it. I showed it to one of the waterfowl judges...In jest asking if it was too early to tell if my new girl may be a show winner... She said..well IT IS a little girl, and has good roundness across the shoulders - and other comments.. I was suprised she could tell so early about the sex so definatively..I was just going by the colour and not certain in any way. She explained that it was to do with the shape of the head and the voice. It was a runner duckling- so the head shape thing may be breed specific...But I just thought it was interesting. I will now of course have to keep this littlw one and see how she really does turn out.

 

[1lpoock]

I think some people are misunderstanding me... I know WH's can be sexed by bill color at a few days old, but I think any duckling can also be sexed by the peeps they make at this same age, I only confirmed my suspicions by the bill color.

 

[chickboss]

You know, I was just doing it for fun, but I swear I hear a raspiness to the males, underlying the peep. Hmmm, I will have to do it again just to try and make sure I'm not hearing what I want to hear. But you may be right.