Hi! I’m new here but I’ve been lurking for years. I’m stumped with my ducks and hoping to crowd-source some opinions about who I have here! They’re pets and I love them no matter what breeds/sexes they are, but I’d like to satisfy my curiosity if I can 
tldr: 14-week-old ducks with characteristics of various breeds, wondering what to look for to determine sex
I have 3 ducks, purchased from TSC at a couple days old (estimated DOB: July 13). They were sold as “assorted” but with a limited number of breeds possible within that assortment (supposedly, lol). They looked *exactly* like black Swedish ducklings so I assumed that’s what I had. I vent sexed one as a male for sure; the other two were inconclusive and after a couple tries (over a few days), I stopped trying since obviously they hated it and I wanted them to like me.
I figured everything would become clear soon enough.
As they lost their baby fluff, they started looking less and less like Swedish ducks, though… where I would have expected a white bib, they developed various white splotches and brown mottling, which they still have now as teens. They also grew out of their yellow “eyeliner” (lol) and their head/face feathers came in black. Once they started going green, I was pretty sure I didn’t have pure Swedish ducks… around the same time I also noticed subtle horizontal striping in their faces (like Rouens) and it kinda depends on the light as to whether I see it or not.
By then I suspected perhaps I got Cayuga/Rouen cross ducklings? I see characteristics of both of those the strongest, and my ducks do look like the handful of photos I can find online of this mix.
I’m no geneticist but I know that mixing different breeds can cause characteristics you wouldn’t normally see in either parent breed. So I’m stumped on a couple things that could otherwise help me ID the two mystery ducks:
Some extra notes…
What do you guys think? Do you see anything more obvious than a Cayuga/Rouen mix? And what would you think in terms of sexing, or what else would you look for if they are indeed a mixture of breeds? Thanks in advance for your thoughts & opinions!
tldr: 14-week-old ducks with characteristics of various breeds, wondering what to look for to determine sex
I have 3 ducks, purchased from TSC at a couple days old (estimated DOB: July 13). They were sold as “assorted” but with a limited number of breeds possible within that assortment (supposedly, lol). They looked *exactly* like black Swedish ducklings so I assumed that’s what I had. I vent sexed one as a male for sure; the other two were inconclusive and after a couple tries (over a few days), I stopped trying since obviously they hated it and I wanted them to like me.
I figured everything would become clear soon enough. As they lost their baby fluff, they started looking less and less like Swedish ducks, though… where I would have expected a white bib, they developed various white splotches and brown mottling, which they still have now as teens. They also grew out of their yellow “eyeliner” (lol) and their head/face feathers came in black. Once they started going green, I was pretty sure I didn’t have pure Swedish ducks… around the same time I also noticed subtle horizontal striping in their faces (like Rouens) and it kinda depends on the light as to whether I see it or not.
By then I suspected perhaps I got Cayuga/Rouen cross ducklings? I see characteristics of both of those the strongest, and my ducks do look like the handful of photos I can find online of this mix.
I’m no geneticist but I know that mixing different breeds can cause characteristics you wouldn’t normally see in either parent breed. So I’m stumped on a couple things that could otherwise help me ID the two mystery ducks:
- Bill color - within the last month, their bills have started changing to olive greenish, starting from the tip and working up. (see photos)
- Legs/feet - seemed like they were starting to turn orange around 6 weeks old, but have stayed the same since. (see photos)
- Speculum feathers - all have color distinction and varying widths of white edge. (one of the photos shows a pretty good example)
Some extra notes…
- Personality: since the minute they arrived home, the definitely-male has always been the smallest, and the most friendly/brave (first to run up and take treats, most curious of new toys/spaces, easiest to handle). He was also the one who would set boundaries with the chickens when they moved into a shared space (after being raised as neighbors), whereas I’ve never seen the other two do anything offensive/defensive at all. So, he seems to be the default leader & they follow his lead.
- Vocally: I can’t tell any difference in their voices, honestly. They don’t really have anything to yell about, so I’m not sure whether I’d notice a female quack if there was one. They just make their cute small talk sounds most of the time, and raise their voices a little when I’m on my way with snacks.
- Coloring: as you can tell, they’re bright green in most light! No distinct bibbing - just splotches - and no ring or demarcation on any of their necks. No especially purple sheen, either, though maybe a bit of purple in their speculum feathers, in some light. You can see an example of the brown mottling on their lower chests/undersides.
What do you guys think? Do you see anything more obvious than a Cayuga/Rouen mix? And what would you think in terms of sexing, or what else would you look for if they are indeed a mixture of breeds? Thanks in advance for your thoughts & opinions!
such beautiful babies. How old are they now? Do they get the funny olive coloring to their bills?
I had babies peeping in my bathroom one day and big beautiful independent birds the next!
