Drake or just an odd duck?

[RhodysMom]

I've got 3 female Welsh Harlequin ducks. They are now 7.5 weeks old and I can't believe just how fast they've grown up! Two of them definitely look like sisters but one looks different. They were all hatched together as far as I know, so I'm wondering if she is maybe a he, or if she's just a little different from the rest. The main difference as far as I can tell is their heads. Cheese and Quackers have a very distinct pattern on their heads, like a little white stripe on each side that runs from their face over the top of their heads while Nugget has a solid tannish head without the stripe. The other difference is that Nugget has a much darker chest (kind of a reddish-brown) while Cheese and Quackers have creamy white chests. I've attached a couple of photos below so you all can see the pattern difference on their heads. Nugget is the one at the very front - you can definitely see the lack of striping there. The second photo is good for seeing the tannish part of her head and how it's different from her sisters (she's the one in the back). What do you think? I know it's still early but I'm new to ducks and the curiosity is killing me! Drake or just an odd duck?

 

[learycow]

Hi! Crazy how fast they grow!
You will find with the welsh harlequins that every one looks different. Some have the facial stripes, some don't. Its not a good trait if you want to show them, but it doesn't make them a cross bred.
Also, you will know if you have a drake! They will get a dark green head and their bodies will change colors as well. But if I remember correctly, you got all females from me and that's what it looks like you have.
You will find that as they grow and change from their juvenile feathers into their adult feathers, they will have a few different looks to them. But you will end up with beautiful harlequins

 

[RhodysMom]

Cool, thanks for the reply! They all quack (sometimes very loudly if they think we haven't heard them the first time!) so I was figuring that they were all indeed females, but I thought that the head pattern might mean something. I honestly wouldn't even care if one were a drake, they're so much fun to have around and it's so cool how they all have their distinct personalities. They're all beautiful and I have no intentions of showing them - it was more curiosity than anything else that prompted me to ask the question. Thanks again for the reply and helpful info!