green sheen

[motherduckling]

Hi I cannot vent sex my duck as I don't want to do it in case I hurt. it.

But I have notice in the sun light he has a green sheen to his head. does this mean he is a drake or do hens have this green sheen as well. Crispy is 6 weeks old.
Ive tried to show it in this picture of crispy attacking my slippers !!

 

[NuggetTheChicken]

You could try voice sexing. Honking is always a sign of a female.
http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/artquacks.htm

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

mine who is definitely a girl has a green sheen to her head as well, it’s just the breed my

 

[Isaac 0]

The green sheen is not a good indicator of gender since it can be found both in males and females, the difference is it becomes more prominent in males with age, and spreads to the rest of their face/neck area.

A better/ more accurate way would be to voice sex them, so refer to the link posted above.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

That a mallard? My Rouens both had a green sheen, I was convinced they were drakes for quite a while , as they both occasionally lay eggs I’m going to make an educated guess they are both hens.

 

[motherduckling]

That a mallard? My Rouens both had a green sheen, I was convinced they were drakes for quite a while , as they both occasionally lay eggs I’m going to make an educated guess they are both hens.

Yes it’s a mallard .

 

[HollowOfWisps]

What a cutie! Any true black feathering on a duck whether it's a Drake or a hen is going to have a green or blue sheen in the light. I attached a picture where you can see the slight green sheen on my black hen's head. The best way to sex a duck (except for muscovies, but those aren't technically a duck) is to voice sex by starting to listen for a rasp vs a quack. If your duckling quacks at all it's a hen, but if it starts to gets raspy as it gets older it's a Drake.