Help Id Musovy genders (pics)

[hossfeathers]

This is a clutch (clutch? litter? mess o'muscovies?) of six that are about 4 weeks old. Mother was pied chocolate and drake was green/black pied, if that makes any difference.

I am trying to figure out how many ducklets vs draklets I got.

This one (above) is the biggest one, and I'm guessing he's male.

The one on the right is the big one, with two others.

These are two of the smaller ones - I noted the change in the feathering between the eye and the beak. Four of the six have this, the big one does not.

Best shot I could get of the lot of them, to compare sizes. Big one is on the lower left.

Any guesses?

 

[Bleenie]

My girls faces feather in faster than the boys. and I would say that first one is a boy, fat little thing! Here's a few things to look for... Females tails are pointier, legs are thinner, feet are smaller, they feather in a little faster(especially up the back) & their faces are just more petite/girly-looking.

 

[pbjmaker]

I am going through the same thing right now - trying to guess genders and age. I have 5 that were day olds when I got them so I know they are about 2 weeks but the others are older. I think the oldest are around 6 weeks.

On sexing - do the drakes "fight" at a young age to establish dominance and do their bills turn red earlier? I have two white ones in the older bunch that were having a knock down drag out the other day. And they both have bills that are turning red. One even got the other one pinned upside down and was pecking him until I intervened.

 

[greening]

im not sure about the muscovys,but i know for rouens, the boys get white rings around their necks after a little over a month and they have lighter colored beaks than the girls. i dont know if the same goes or not. so i dont know if that helps any.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

You have 5 black or black pied and one blue/blue pied. Fm the last picture I'd say you have at least 2 ducklets for sure... the top left one and blue. The rest may all be drakes though the one in the center is difficult to see clearly.

 

[hossfeathers]

Thanks for all the help - the one in the middle is very close in size to the other two smaller ones, so I am figuring 3 ducklets.

I am glad to get confirmation on the fat boy being a boy. *g*

I am curious as to how the non-blues feather out - the wing feathers are coming in with a green sheen and the belly/breast feathers are coming in brown/chocolate. (Are brown and chocolate the same thing?)


Only a month with my first 'scovies and already I am very fond of the breed.