Are we boys or girls? Muscovy*PIC heavy update post 1 & older post 12

[jdywntr]

Here are some pics from this morning of my about 4 week old muscovy. I tried to get some pics that would show their size relative to each other but they of course did not want to cooperate.
***I added new pics to the bottom of this post. Also pics about 1 week ago on post #12.
Not a great pic but it does somewhat show the size difference

This is better. The blue is by far the largest.

This is after they scared the chickens after running right up to them

They are all supposed to be hatched within days of each other. The blue is the biggest, the black and white (laced?) and the black with white wings are next in size and the black and brown without white wings and light colored are smaller. They are NOT from the same hatch and could be up to 5-7 days difference.

Here are some pics from today 9/12

Largest blue on the left. Male

Pretty sure this is a girl, smallest size.

Pretty sure this is a girl too. Thinnest legs.

Not the same as above but think boy?

 

[learycow]

If they are all roughly the same age (within a week or so of each other), then the blue is for sure a male.
It's hard to tell with the others, but I think the lightest one, the black one (the one on the far left in the bottom pic) and the barred one are females. I'm leaning towards drake on the other one even though it is smaller than the blue.

Look at their legs and compare the size. It's hard to tell in pictures, but you can do it looking at them. The males will have much thicker legs than the females.

 

[jdywntr]

Thanks. I will sit outside tomorrow and try to get good looks at their legs.

The laced and the blue were ones I really wanted and I thought the light one was a girl. I wanted multi colors so I'm hoping for the best.

Again, thanks for the input.

 

[pbjmaker]

I think the barred one AND the blue one are males for sure and the lightest colored one is a girl. Not sure on the other ones. That barred one has thick legs in that first picture.

 

[sourland]

2 drakes, 1 hen, 2 ???

 

[jdywntr]

Well, I just spent some time outside looking at their legs. They ALL look big to me. Definitely larger than my runners legs. Ugh. I suppose as long as I end up with 1 pair I should be happy. I just would prefer a better ratio.
I am so impatient. I hate waiting to see. I go outside and expect some miraculous change every time. Its like all of a sudden they should turn to me and say I'm a boy.

 

[Going Quackers]

It's harder to tell when you lack a definite one to compare to at 4wks.. it took me till my first group was older to tell because of this, by 7wks? something like that i could tell mine apart.. trouble is females don't exactly have small legs/feet there just smaller in compairson to the drakes.. know what i mean?

You'll know soon enough.. for sure by the time there 7-8wks.. it really starts to show by then. I also find the coloured birds are harder to tell.. my first flock are whites.. the second are chocolates... it's more hidden or camouflaged lol My pair of chocolates were 3-4wks but the old farmer who'd had muscovy for decades could tell( i needed hens) but i'm not experienced enough to yet at that young.

 

[jdywntr]

Quote:
Thank you.
Okay, I will be patient. Well, I will try to be patient.

 

[Going Quackers]

Quote:
Thank you.
Okay, I will be patient. Well, I will try to be patient.

It's hard i was going bonkers myself.. i posted pics here but i understand it's hard to tell with pictures.. some thought i had all drakes.. nope! i had a 50/50...

 

[jdywntr]

Oh even that would be better than 3 boys.

On a happy and I think unusual note, two of my 6.5 week old Runners have gotten curly drake feathers and another 2 are quacking. I'm thinking this will make it easier for me to sell, knowing what they are.

Now to wait on the Muscovy.

Just went outside to find one of my Shih tzu standing in the Muscovy's little fenced off area with them huddled in the corner.

I had left the duck run door open. This dog is in love with the little peepers. He normally lays on the outside of the run gazing lovingly at them.