Are these males? How do I choose who to keep?

[wallawu]

Well, my straight run of 6 from TS seems to consist of 5 drakes. They were born mid-April. The mallards are starting to get that lighter grey on them, and a little green on their heads. The larger of the two Welsh Harlequins that we thought was a girl is now getting a liiiiittle green on the head. The smaller WH was sexed at the vet around a month old and is a male. ONE black swedish has been quacking her tailfeathers off for a long time. The other has been the biggest one the whole time. Take a look:

So, now we have some decisions to make. The mallards will be the first to go because theyre just a liability at this point and are the most skittish. Hopefully somebody wants some. I'm wanting to keep the smaller of the 2 WH because I've put the most work into him (he got picked on, got a respiratory infection as a duckling, and had leg problems that niacin solved), and I'd like to keep the male and female WH together.

That's what I want, but are emotions a good way to choose? Should i be looking for certain temperaments? Also, I'm planning on ordering more females from Metzer. When should i do this? I don't want to put them outside at the wrong time of year or at a dangerous stage in the two remaining males lives. It's gonna be tough to separate them, but anyone who has been through this, please let me know how you did it, or what you'd do differently. Thanks everybody.

 

[Amiga]

Unless you have a specific breeding plan, I would say that perhaps going with your feelings really is the thing to do.


@Miss Lydia has had to make some tough decisions, I think she might be able to comiserate with you and perhaps help you see your way clear.

If you are in the northern hemisphere, I suspect you still have time to find some females. If you are anywhere near New Jersey, there are 92 Khaki Campbells who were just dumped at a mall and are now at a rescue place.... I am still processing that bit of news. sheesh. Actually they might be a little small for your drakes... something to think about, anyway - you may be able to find a juvenile female or females in need of rescue.

 

[Spyderk117]

Unless you have a specific breeding plan, I would say that perhaps going with your feelings really is the thing to do.


@Miss Lydia
  has had to make some tough decisions, I think she might be able to comiserate with you and perhaps help you see your way clear.

If you are in the northern hemisphere, I suspect you still have time to find some females.  If you are anywhere near New Jersey, there are 92 Khaki Campbells who were just dumped at a mall and are now at a rescue place.... I am still processing that bit of news.  sheesh.  Actually they might be a little small for your drakes... something to think about, anyway - you may be able to find a juvenile female or females in need of rescue.

That's awful about the Khaki Campbells!

 

[Amiga]

Yes, we are full to capacity, here - and we could not bring in 92 KCs, although my heart would love to have a place big enough to take them in!

Keep an ear to the ground - how could 92 KCs go missing and someone not notice? I try to remind myself that for far too many people these are incredibly desperate times. A reminder that we need to reach out for help when all seems lost, rather than do something rash.

 

[wallawu]

Yes, we are full to capacity, here - and we could not bring in 92 KCs, although my heart would love to have a place big enough to take them in!

Keep an ear to the ground - how could 92 KCs go missing and someone not notice?  I try to remind myself that for far too many people these are incredibly desperate times.  A reminder that we need to reach out for help when all seems lost, rather than do something rash.

I'm in Arkansas, but I'll keep the size of KCs in mind. I like Cayugas, but would they be too small? I don't want runners at all. I'm thinkin at least one more Welsh Harlequin. I'd really like some Silver Appleyards, but i can't find them sexed anywhere. Very pretty birds though. You think those are for sure males in the picture?

 

[Amiga]

Actually, I am not 100% sure... the thing I have gone by is the quack versus mumble.

 

[Cherib603]

Keep an ear to the ground - how could 92 KCs go missing and someone not notice?  I try to remind myself that for far too many people these are incredibly desperate times.  A reminder that we need to reach out for help when all seems lost, rather than do something rash.

I want to know how someone wrangled 92 ducks and into what vehicle?!
You'd think security cameras would have caught a pic.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I want to know how someone wrangled 92 ducks and into what vehicle?!
You'd think security cameras would have caught a pic.

For sure your right. I did post the link that Amiga shared yesterday on the New Jersey thread so hopefully those poor babies will get adopted.

@wallawu are you seeing any sign of a drake feather I can't see one on any of them..You said one was quacking up a storm what about the ones you suspect are drakes what kind of quacking do you hear?

I have to agree with Amiga go with your feelings.

They are all beautiful.

 

[PotatoWaffles]

Personally, I keep the males that are less skittish and not as rough with the ladies. My WH male is friendly enough to eat from my hand and also pretty easy going when it comes to breeding. He gets the job done but not so violently or voraciously. My mallard drake, however, breaks the rules because he is not tame in any way and is very rough on the girls (except his precious favorite, who he guards). But he is exempt from the rules because he was one of my first two ducks.

I would go with your feelings. Who is the friendliest with people? With other ducks? The goal is to have the most happy and peaceful flock as you can, and some drakes just make that impossible.

I am sorry so many turned out to be males, what bad luck! You asked about Cayugas. I think they would work out. They're mid size and pretty personable. And it's pretty easy to acquire sexed cayuga ducklings. Good luck!

 

[wallawu]

Quote:

For sure your right. I did post the link that Amiga shared yesterday on the New Jersey thread so hopefully those poor babies will get adopted.

@wallawu are you seeing any sign of a drake feather I can't see one on any of them..You said one was quacking up a storm what about the ones you suspect are drakes what kind of quacking do you hear?

I have to agree with Amiga go with your feelings.

They are all beautiful.

The one confirmed (sexed) male WH is started to get curled feathers. Other than that I hear several low grunts(?) and one big quack when they're excited. Are the mallards turning grey not a sign of being males? Also, the mallards and WH are getting a green sheen on their heads. Would that happen to a 3 month old female?

Personally, I keep the males that are less skittish and not as rough with the ladies. My WH male is friendly enough to eat from my hand and also pretty easy going when it comes to breeding. He gets the job done but not so violently or voraciously. My mallard drake, however, breaks the rules because he is not tame in any way and is very rough on the girls (except his precious favorite, who he guards). But he is exempt from the rules because he was one of my first two ducks.

I would go with your feelings. Who is the friendliest with people? With other ducks? The goal is to have the most happy and peaceful flock as you can, and some drakes just make that impossible.

I am sorry so many turned out to be males, what bad luck! You asked about Cayugas. I think they would work out. They're mid size and pretty personable. And it's pretty easy to acquire sexed cayuga ducklings. Good luck!

Depends on what you mean by "friendly," Both of the Black Swedish will start eating out of the bowl as I pour the feed, then the oats, then some greens in it. The oats really attract them the most. The others are bashful for a second, then carefully start to eat. I don't know if that make the BS friendly, or if that means they're more aggressive and less scared of other things. Or maybe they're just the most food driven!

I went ahead and ordered 2 female WH and 2 female Cayugas from Metzer for a September 5 shipment date. I'll just be getting back from vacation the Saturday before, and hopefully by then it won't be 100 degrees outside. By mid-October I think they'll be ready to go out, and it's usually still in the 80s then. I'll have to research how to introduce young ones, and maybe build a removable divider inside their house. When I get rid of 3 of the 5 males, should I be prepared for the remaining ducks to be depressed or scared of me?