Color and sexing help appreciated for Muscovy ducks

[critters]

I have some drakes that are 17 weeks today and they have the 'drake feather'
that sticks out farther than the rest of their tail feathers....been that way for
3-4 weeks maybe....
I also have some that are 9weeks old and so far, other than size in legs and body,
I have to guess at their sex for now until they develope more.

 

[Going Quackers]

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I didn't think Muscovy have feather differences for gender though? well i know the hens feathers do come in quicker on the wings but i meant tails..

 

[Going Quackers]

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A bit of trial and error LOL

Legs/feet are a good indicator.. hens usually fly quicker to.. plus as said the drakes start to become freight trains.. whereas usually the hens remain more delicate, girly. The drakes start to hiss and the hens chirp and quack. I have one hen who sounds like a horn

Here this is a good shot of a pair.. my 5.5mth olds whites...

Can you tell who is who?

 

[critters]

I have for sure 3 drake muscovys....
the eldest lost his long middle tail feather during a molting ...
the other 2, 17 week old drakes, have this middle feather on their tails..
guessing theirs too, will fall out...

 

[Texasmja]

I rarely hear them make any sounds and when I do hear it is sounds like churps, they were wild when I got them at 1 month old and now at about 3 months-4 months they will stand at the gate and wait for me if they see me and they stand there with their mouths gaped open but no sounds, lol... One has a longer brown (with white tip) feather in the tail and the other two ducks their feathers are all the same size on the tip of the tails... Sometime I see them wag their tails when they see me coming, reminds me of a dog, they get so excited for lettuce. We clipped one of their wings (feathers) so they wouldn't fly and the basset hounds would love to get them if they get over the fence...They are not completely feathered out under their wings (noticed this when we clipped their wings).

 

[AquaEyes]

You have three beautiful "true pied" muscovies -- note how their white markings are in a defined, pretty-much symmetrical pattern. That's the result of having two Pied genes, as opposed to having one White gene with random white patches.

I think they are wild-type pattern (non-dusky) black....hard to tell if they are barred or not.

Nice birds!

 

[Going Quackers]

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Yes, they all wags there tails.. both genders it is so cute!

 

[Texasmja]

When they have their first molt, will they change colors? What does true pied mean vs pied? Does it mean they will pass it on to their get 100% of the time or 50%?

 

[Texasmja]

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Thanks, this is the first time I have had this breed and love them. Does it matter that their feathers have a more brown color up close instead of a true black? What does non dusky mean?

 

[AquaEyes]

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Thanks, this is the first time I have had this breed and love them. Does it matter that their feathers have a more brown color up close instead of a true black? What does non dusky mean?

The dusky gene is most apparent in the ducklings. Those with two copies of the gene will appear solid brown, while those with the wild-type pattern will have the familiar brown-and-yellow down pattern. As adults -- from what I read -- those that are dusky will have a reduction in the brown tones, and thus "dusky blacks" will be a sharper, blacker-black than "wild-type blacks" which will have brown tones, like yours. Dusky is sometimes called atipico.