Best way to tell, male vs. female Muscovy?

[fivecardstudpts]

Last summer, I recieved 2 Muscovies and was told that they were both female. Well, they are less then a year old and bigger then my males. I have read about a couple different ways to tell differences, and I just can seem to tell. None of my birds are more then 2 years old, so they are all still fairly young. I can very easily tell my other females apart, but these two, nope. I will try and get some good pics and put them on here. I just didn't know if there are any real good ways to tell the difference. They don't have much red on their faces yet, and they have very thick stocky legs, which makes me think female. But their size makes me think male.

Thanks
jessica

 

[satay]

If they are already bigger than your other males they will be male. Female muscoveys are always smaller than the males unless for some reason you have crosses. Post some pics and we will be able to tell you more.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I agree, if they are bigger than your other Muscovy males then these also are males. I have one or two I am still wondering about and think mine may be mules. I did not hatch them, they were given to me as ducklings.

 

[Going Quackers]

Size can be useful a guide however, i found voice clinched it.. when the hissing continues and there are no soft, peeps, trills or the odd quack that is your dead giveaway..

and while i know some here have said their drakes are good flyer's all of mine have not been, being they are substantial in size they have always lagged behind my hens in the flight ability, which for me was another indication they were not hens.

FWIW i have/had 4 drakes and 5 hens... so i definitely have enough of my own birds to see the differences and note the changes.. first flock came as day olds, second editions came as 3-4wk olds.. and lastly the others came as 5-6mth old hens.

 

[aoxa]

Size can be useful a guide however, i found voice clinched it.. when the hissing continues and there are no soft, peeps, trills or the odd quack that is your dead giveaway..

and while i know some here have said their drakes are good flyer's all of mine have not been, being they are substantial in size they have always lagged behind my hens in the flight ability, which for me was another indication they were not hens.

FWIW i have/had 4 drakes and 5 hens... so i definitely have enough of my own birds to see the differences and note the changes.. first flock came as day olds, second editions came as 3-4wk olds.. and lastly the others came as 5-6mth old hens.

When do they start hissing?

I have a muscovy I got at around 2 months old, and she was smaller than her hatch mates, which made the breeder say female. He seemed pretty sure. I wanted a couple of others before her, and he said male to the others. Anyway, she is now 4 months old and seems quite large, but I have nothing to compare her to. She does not hiss, and I have heard kind of a quack. She really doesn't make much noise at all. When she was doing that, I was trying to catch her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

When do they start hissing?
I have a muscovy I got at around 2 months old, and she was smaller than her hatch mates, which made the breeder say female. He seemed pretty sure. I wanted a couple of others before her, and he said male to the others. Anyway, she is now 4 months old and seems quite large, but I have nothing to compare her to. She does not hiss, and I have heard kind of a quack. She really doesn't make much noise at all. When she was doing that, I was trying to catch her.

It does sound like you still have a girl, I have never heard one of my drakes make a quack sound, but my girls do once in a while. Since you have a drake why not get another muscovy girl then when the 2 girls get together you can see what we mean by their trilling noise. Actually 2-3 girls would be better for them or the drake will over mate with the one.

 

[aoxa]

It does sound like you still have a girl, I have never heard one of my drakes make a quack sound, but my girls do once in a while. Since you have a drake why not get another muscovy girl then when the 2 girls get together you can see what we mean by their trilling noise. Actually 2-3 girls would be better for them or the drake will over mate with the one.

I don't have a muscovy drake, just a mixed drake (runner x mallard). We thought HE was a SHE when we got him. He is a very nice duck, so we have not taken him back. He was free in the first place. I don't want to breed just yet, but when I do, I might consider getting a muscovy drake I have heard they are quite mean though.. :/ She rarely quacks. It's usually when I'm stressing her out by trying to hold her to check her over. I do this usually once a week. Her nails are all kinds of scary! haha. I have a scar already from her

This is the most recent picture I have of her. She raises her head feathers like my drake does, that is one reason I was concerned. Can girls do that as well?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't have a muscovy drake, just a mixed drake (runner x mallard). We thought HE was a SHE when we got him. He is a very nice duck, so we have not taken him back. He was free in the first place. I don't want to breed just yet, but when I do, I might consider getting a muscovy drake

I have heard they are quite mean though..

She rarely quacks. It's usually when I'm stressing her out by trying to hold her to check her over. I do this usually once a week. Her nails are all kinds of scary! haha. I have a scar already from her

This is the most recent picture I have of her. She raises her head feathers like my drake does, that is one reason I was concerned. Can girls do that as well?

How old is she now? that face says girl all over it. and I don't think you should take your drake back he is a doll and I'm sure they have bonded now. As for getting more girls I was just saying because when mating season comes around your drake will mate with your duck and he will probably want to alot so having more girls will give them a break. And when the eggs come just pick them up each day, then no babies. Thats what I have to do I am maxed out on space to put anymore. They are great for baking and eating or giving or selling.

 

[aoxa]

How old is she now? that face says girl all over it. and I don't think you should take your drake back he is a doll and I'm sure they have bonded now. As for getting more girls I was just saying because when mating season comes around your drake will mate with your duck and he will probably want to alot so having more girls will give them a break. And when the eggs come just pick them up each day, then no babies. Thats what I have to do I am maxed out on space to put anymore. They are great for baking and eating or giving or selling.

If they are right about her age to start out with (2 months on November 21st), than she would be just shy of 4 months. He was not sure on their age, as one of his scovie hens hid a nest under his house and he only found out after they were feathered out a bit. She could be a bit older. When I first got her, she chirped. Now she doesn't say much of anything at all. Quietest thing around!

This is her face the day I brought her home. She was just starting to grow the caruncles at that time.

Here she is with my mixed drake. and yes, they have bonded.

So if she ended up hiding a nest, what would happen to her babies? Would they all be unable to produce eggs? If I get muscovies again, I will get them as ducklings and let them imprint on humans. She is very timid of me, and I would love to have some ducks that eat out of my hand, or at least don't have a heart attack whenever I come near them. :/ To the OP, sorry for hijacking!

 

[Miss Lydia]

If they are right about her age to start out with (2 months on November 21st), than she would be just shy of 4 months. He was not sure on their age, as one of his scovie hens hid a nest under his house and he only found out after they were feathered out a bit. She could be a bit older. When I first got her, she chirped. Now she doesn't say much of anything at all. Quietest thing around!

This is her face the day I brought her home. She was just starting to grow the caruncles at that time.

Here she is with my mixed drake.
and yes, they have bonded.

So if she ended up hiding a nest, what would happen to her babies? Would they all be unable to produce eggs?
If I get muscovies again, I will get them as ducklings and let them imprint on humans. She is very timid of me, and I would love to have some ducks that eat out of my hand, or at least don't have a heart attack whenever I come near them.

To the OP, sorry for hijacking!

I wanted to show you a pic of my drake at 4 months but I can't upload a pic here for some reason but if you go to my profile you can see him at diff. stages of his life. He was born June 2nd he is 7 months now. But you deff have a feamle. as for the other thing with the 2 separate breeds mating, well I was just reading a very hot topic on here last week about how colors were introduced in Muscovies and from all i got there had to be breedings from outside of Muscovies to get the colors so I say you may get ducklings you may not. You'll just have to try it out if you decided to let her incubate or you do it, by 10 days you would be able to candle and see if there is life.