Could She be A He?

[duckling 1234]

I have a cayuga, which I'm pretty sure is a hen. She doesn't have that curly feather on the back.. But the reason I'm asking is because she hasn't laid yet this year, and the rest of my flock has. I got her as a duckling in early June. What the heck!??!

 

[FenDruadin]

Is she quacking? If she has a deep quack like the others ducks, she's a she. On the other hand, if she is noticeably quieter, with more of a whisper/peep sound, she's probably a he. The tail feather can be deceptive because it can be lost when molting, or get pulled out by other ducks.

I still have hens who haven't laid yet this season, so she's probably just a late starter. Give her time!

 

[duckling 1234]

Alright.. Whens the latest you've had a hen lay?

 

[ConchRepublic]

Maybe it's just not her season yet. She might start soon when the weather warms up enough.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

I have 3 2yr old hens, who I think are laying (they all laid great last year, and are the same kind, and all the eggs look the same), and 4 1 yr old hens (hatched last may 1st) who are not laying. yet. though some days I do get 4 eggs... so one of the younger ones must be starting. be patient. If your duck sounds like DOnald Duck muttering under his breath, that's a boy, if it sounds like QUACK! it's a girl. pick it up, pester it a little, you should be able to tell quick.

 

[nissa_loves_cats]

Last year of my 6 Ancona ducks, only 2 had the curly feather. This spring, 4 out of the six do. I caught them all to put red leg bands on the two girls and blue leg bands on the boys, and I did notice the difference in their voices, the females are a lot louder.... I've been getting one egg a day out of my two girls until yesterday when I had two.

 

[Outbackhill Kennels]

The hens will quack really loud and the drakes sound like somebody kicked em in the throat. And my cayugas just started laying and they're older birds and I have been pumping high protein food to them. Some ducks are just lazy.