gender changing duck (mallard)

[AmyLM]

I have 4 ducks. 2m/2f.. . Or so I thought! For two years my ducks have been best buddies and never quarrelled or anything but it was clear it was 2m/2f. This spring I noticed that my normally beautiful mallard was growingin brown feathers. Strange but I figured it was a fluke. Now however its definitely obvious...my male is becomming female. So much so that my other male is all over him...err...her.

Is this normal!?

If my male duck lays an egg Im gonna freak out. I know this WAS a male. He once tried to hump a chicken and ummm. Got knocked off... yeah hes got boy things up there... but now hes almost entierly girl in appearance. I will post pics tomorrow.

 

[Kroelies]

All boy mallards that I know look like girls now. They also have tiny wings it's kinda adorable actually.



This is not my photo but this is a boy, he has a yellow bill

 

[HeritageGoose13]

All male mallards change their feathers in the summer. It's not becoming female haha!

When mallards molt they cannot fly, so they become brown to better hide from predators. He will get his regular coloring back in the winter.

 

[AmyLM]

Ohhh well thats a relief!! I was wondering if I was goin out of my mind. I knew he was a boy.... then.... not. God....way to freak me out. Clearly Im a chicken person that has for pet ducks and definitely am not an expert in ducks....

 

[Amykins]

Yup! Mallards don't change gender...but they are known to cross dress.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

Ohhh well thats a relief!! I was wondering if I was goin out of my mind. I knew he was a boy.... then.... not. God....way to freak me out. Clearly Im a chicken person that has for pet ducks and definitely am not an expert in ducks....

I'm glad you asked. Not only did you learn something, you gave me a good laugh.

 

[Amykins]

I'm glad you asked. Not only did you learn something, you gave me a good laugh.

^ Yep! Never be embarrassed to ask even the silliest of questions here. You shoulda seen me when I first joined, I was totally clueless! Thought my boy duck was a girl duck and mistook his mating "sneeze" as some sort of terrible respiratory issue.

 

[momof3boysandachewie]

I have 4 ducks. 2m/2f.. . Or so I thought! For two years my ducks have been best buddies and never quarrelled or anything but it was clear it was 2m/2f. This spring I noticed that my normally beautiful mallard was growingin brown feathers. Strange but I figured it was a fluke. Now however its definitely obvious...my male is becomming female. So much so that my other male is all over him...err...her.

Is this normal!?

If my male duck lays an egg Im gonna freak out. I know this WAS a male. He once tried to hump a chicken and ummm. Got knocked off... yeah hes got boy things up there... but now hes almost entierly girl in appearance. I will post pics tomorrow.

I had my 3males separate from my female while she was hatching. I went out today and there were eggs with the males. And now one of the males changed feathers and started laying eggs. It's crazy!

 

[TheDuckGuy]

I had my 3males separate from my female while she was hatching. I went out today and there were eggs with the males. And now one of the males changed feathers and started laying eggs. It's crazy!

Wonder what people has to say about this