Khaki Campbell Dimorphism

[lleighmay]

When can I expect to be able to tell my khakis apart re: male/female? What is the accepted ratio of hens/drakes? Are they like chickens? I want to be sure I have the right amount and don't overstress them.
Thanks! Leigh

 

[Wifezilla]

Khaki males have a dark head and a light colored body. They also have yellow to orange bills and feet. Females are a fairly uniform brown with a penciled pattern on the feathers and have slate bills and feet. Keep in mind, this is for ADULT birds. When they are babies, you can't usually tell them apart until 2-3 weeks old when the girls start quacking and the boys voices become monotone and raspy.

As for hen to drake ration, I like 3 girls to one boy. You can get by with 2 girls for one boy as long as the drake doesn't appear to be overbreeding them. I currently have a 5/1 ratio. As soon as my drake hits puberty, he is going to be one happy boy

Jack the drake

Jack & Janet (female khaki) with their runner buddy Chrissy

 

[headred]

Mine look a lot like wifezillas. But, it took me about 3 months to really tell the difference. I wasn't good at the whole quack versus raspy voice. When the heads started turning, that's when I could tell they were male. If you look at a post called something like "talking heads" on my website, you can see them just turning maybe 10 or 11 weeks and what the coloring looks like.

 

[lleighmay]

Thanks Wifezilla and Headred- the pics and advice are really helpful. I'd not been able to find any good closeup pictures; now I can't wait for them to grow up so beautiful! Guess I've got another 3-4 weeks before I see what I've got

 

[Wifezilla]

My Welsh Harlequins are just over 3 weeks and one of them started quacking

The other two should be quacking in the next day or so.

Welsh Harlequins are a khaki derivative, so development is similar

 

[jmc]

At 5 -6 weeks of age, it is clear who the drakes are compared with the females. At least my three drakes compared to the 11 ducks are definitely distinct at this point--aside from their unique vocalization.

And it was possible to make a good guess as to sex (from appearance) at as little as 3 -4 weeks, and be shown to be correct!

I've got purebreds from Clearview Hatchery in PA. Parent stock was from Holderreads when this hatchery started out.......