Drakes or not?

[LuvTheFarm]

I purchased 10 eggs that were advertised as Indian Runner duck eggs for hatching. I had 3 make it out healthy. They have grown fast and I waited patiently to hear their voices as I anticipated the wispers from the drake and the 'quack' from the female. Well, they grew and grew and one is now huge! All three quack and look like mix breed ducks - they may have mallard in them. One has the posture that occasionally resembles an Indian runner - another that is the largest has a crested head. Whatever their breed - they all have a large quack - do you think I have three drakes? Is there any other way to tell the gender? I read online that they could take a year to start laying eggs if they follow the genetic traits of the Indian Runner... Any input is appreciated.

 

[sourland]

If they have a loud quack, you have three hens - if they have a whispery/hoarse voice and tail curls they are drakes.

 

[shicks0211]

for sure..my first tell is always the really loud quack of the hens which you can tell pretty quickly. If you don't trust that then within a few months you'll definitely notice a curly tail on the mails. I have runners, as well as some other breeds and two of my runners are hens..and are loud as heck..with no curly butt, and two are males with a soft little voice and a very curled drake feather..but i knew by the time they were about 3 months old or so which were hens because once their voices came in the hens were very vocal and quack loudly as soon as they saw me.