Hi everyone,
I know this has come up a million times before. I have read the sticky about sexing ducks. I have listened to the sound bytes of both drakes and hens.
I have a Welsh Harlequin duck and an 8-week-old unsexed Khaki Campbell. The KC is fully feathered. It is a uniform color with very light lacing throughout. The head is the same chocolate color as its body. Its bill is slate with a dark bean, its feet and legs are a very dull orange-brown. There are no white feathers at all on this bird. There is no tail curl (yet). It is a VERY quiet bird and is about the same size as the WH which is definitely a female and is only a week older. The thing is, this bird still does a lot of baby chirping and it probably sounds more masculine. It does quack quietly on occasion, but it never produces loud quack like the WH is capable of. My husband said that's just because the WH never shuts up long enough to let KC get a word in edgewise!
I would guess that since this is a hatchery duck, color sexing is far less reliable than voice sexing. What do you think? My main reason for being concerned is for the ducklet. If I have a KC male and only one hen, I'm afraid she'll get hurt. I might be able to talk my husband into ONE more duck, but duckling season is coming to an end. I am running out of time. If it's a male and I can't locate another duck, we'll have to eat him. The KC is my favorite of the two!
I know this has come up a million times before. I have read the sticky about sexing ducks. I have listened to the sound bytes of both drakes and hens.
I have a Welsh Harlequin duck and an 8-week-old unsexed Khaki Campbell. The KC is fully feathered. It is a uniform color with very light lacing throughout. The head is the same chocolate color as its body. Its bill is slate with a dark bean, its feet and legs are a very dull orange-brown. There are no white feathers at all on this bird. There is no tail curl (yet). It is a VERY quiet bird and is about the same size as the WH which is definitely a female and is only a week older. The thing is, this bird still does a lot of baby chirping and it probably sounds more masculine. It does quack quietly on occasion, but it never produces loud quack like the WH is capable of. My husband said that's just because the WH never shuts up long enough to let KC get a word in edgewise!
I would guess that since this is a hatchery duck, color sexing is far less reliable than voice sexing. What do you think? My main reason for being concerned is for the ducklet. If I have a KC male and only one hen, I'm afraid she'll get hurt. I might be able to talk my husband into ONE more duck, but duckling season is coming to an end. I am running out of time. If it's a male and I can't locate another duck, we'll have to eat him. The KC is my favorite of the two!