Boy or girl?

[Plutopilot]

I have 4 eight week old ducks, which I received from Metzer as sexed females. 2 of them are exhibiting behavior of males: my white and black runners. The white duck has a hoarse voice and the black runner is almost silent when she quacks, it sounds like a whisper. The white duck also has a couple tail feathers that aren't flush with the tail, but not curly. Watch the video and see what you think. https://www.reddit.com/user/Gullibl...urce=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

 

[AmeraucanaHank]

I think both blacks are girls and the fawn and white one is a boy.

 

[Plutopilot]

I think both blacks are girls and the fawn and white one is a boy.

Bummer. I really didn't want a male duck, so I'm not sure what to do with this little guy. Thanks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Keep him Runners are such awesome ducks having a drake will make the girls happy. My Runner females love their Runner drake.

 

[indianaducks]

It sounds like you definitely have a male duck in there, though I wasn't 100% which duck was making the male sounds in the video.

 

[Awaytome]

Having gotten all males from Metzer on an order of sexed female runners, I suggest you contact them about refunding your money or sending you a female. Someone isn't doing a very good job there. In my experience, males disrupt a peaceful female flock and even though I love the males, I'd rather not have any. I rehomed a bunch of them last year after one duck hatched a brood with six males and only one female. Now I have another bunch of males to deal with.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Having gotten all males from Metzer on an order of sexed female runners, I suggest you contact them about refunding your money or sending you a female. Someone isn't doing a very good job there. In my experience, males disrupt a peaceful female flock and even though I love the males, I'd rather not have any. I rehomed a bunch of them last year after one duck hatched a brood with six males and only one female. Now I have another bunch of males to deal with.

Maybe too many drakes but I have never had one or 2 disrupt a flock of females. Having a good amount of females helps too.

 

[Awaytome]

I had four happy ducks when I adopted a drake. He picked his favorites and would keep the others away from treats, the best resting spots, etc. The ducks stopped using the pool because any splashing brought him tearing across the yard to chase them out or try to mate them. He was generally protective of the flock, but his attentions did change the relationships between the females. They lost their cohesiveness. The favored duck took advantage of his favoritism. Maybe the relationships don't change as drastically when there is a larger flock, but my small happy group was disrupted and never recovered. That's why my preference is for an all female flock.

 

[AmeraucanaHank]

That's why my preference is for an all female flock.

I keep mixed sex chicken flocks, but mixed sex duck flocks is just to frusterating.

 

[indianaducks]

Wow... I'm shocked. I love my drakes, and I wouldn't have ducks without drakes. They are some of the friendliest ducks I have.