Ducks

[Jennifer sponseller]

Wat kind r they

 

[sylviethecochin]

I think you're going to have to wait until they're fully feathered, but I bet they're muscovies: the white looks like he has barring. I've never heard of any duck with barring that wasn't a muscovy or a wood duck. Further, he has the same coloration as my muscovy barreds used to have.

If I'm wrong, I'm very curious about what they turn out to be.

 

[Jennifer sponseller]

When I got them I was told they we're wood ducks but I wanted to make sure cuz it was a private sale. He said they we're 4 wks old n that was sept 24. They we're diff sizes even now they still r n idk how to tell if they r male or female

 

[sylviethecochin]

I thought all wood ducks were undomesticated? I'd really like to see adult pictures.

And trying to sex ducks from drakes requires either a professional or six months of growth.

If they are eight weeks old, they should have a lot more feathering, assuming they're getting grain. I've seen five-week khaki campbells with more feathers than that.

 

[sylviethecochin]

After an image search of barred wood ducks--I'm pretty sure you have muscovies.

I could be wrong, obviously. I hobby-raise campbell crosses, pekins, 'scovies, and mallards. I have no experience with ducks outside of these breeds. But muscovies are the most common type of unwanted duckling due to the hugely broody mothers. I've seen them go for $0.50 apeice down at the auction.

 

[Jennifer sponseller]

They r getting grain. Someone I know saw them n said they we're younger wen I first got them.

 

[sylviethecochin]

The ducklings in your picture are (at most) a week old. I'd guess four days. After about a week, the bill begins to noticeably lengthen, giving a more adult look.

On the positive side of things: muscovy males get very noticeable red faces and bald skin around the beak. Sexing should be fairly simple.

 

[Jennifer sponseller]

How old r they now

 

[sylviethecochin]

I'd say between four and eight weeks, depending on feed, warmth, light conditions, breed--the list goes on. We don't feed our mallards, and the ducklings take about a month before you see any feathers at all. I've seen ducks fed on high-protein gamebird feed and they have feathers by the middle of week three.

 

[Jennifer sponseller]

Well they have plenty of grain n water they can get to at any time during the day. They r outside wen its nice out in a pen. At night they come in the house in a play pen well pack n play wit a light n a blanket to cover half of it to keep the heat in