Do all the other ducks know that a duckling is a drake

[Jenbirdee]

Do all the other ducks know that a particular duckling is a Drake before he matures? Would they know right off the bat when he’s a tiny duckling or at what age would they figure it out?

 

[Debbie292d]

I actually wondered this too when someone posted about his older ducks picking on a particular younger duck of a few he brought home. The OP didn't know the sexes yet, but some of our astute BYC folks said that the old drake must've known which one of his little ones was a drake, so he was picking on it.

I didn't understand how that older duck knew the sexes before a person knows. Do they sense it or smell it?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I think they do. My past drakes would try to attack ducklings through wire mesh. Inevitably, the duckling they were trying to go after always turned out to be a drake.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Cool, I never thought of this.

 

[ProudRedneck]

Very interesting