Khaki Campbells Gender?

[Sara Ranch]

Yeah, I know, I wasn't going to ask for gender assistance, but since I am trying to talk myself into getting more ducks, I gotta ask.

Any help with identifying the gender of these young ducks?

I want to make sure I have a good ratio of males to females.

Thanks!

 

[chickens really]

Both look like Drakes.....

 

[Sara Ranch]

What are the indicators? (This is me, in learning mode. And there's always something to learn!)

 

[chickens really]

Drakes have dark heads...Raspy voices....

 

[buggymuffin]

I know I am a month late to the conversation, but how old are they? Once they are a few months old, drakes look like brown versions of mallard ducks (dark head, much lighter body) and and should have drake feathers. We got our khaki drake at 4 months and he had all of his adult coloring.

 

[Sara Ranch]

So glad you asked!

I took this picture on Monday of the duckies. Both Khakis are the same age - this week turned 14 weeks old.

The duckie in the top part of the photo appears to have gone through the change, but retained brown coloring. Has a double tail curl - SOMETIMES!!! It's so random. Usually after a playful swim, the tail feather curls are there. Then they disappear. Talks often - both duckies do. Bill has maintained the grayish/dark color.

The duckie in the bottom part of the photo has the gray/almost white belly, the BLACK tail, a greenish bill, the black head with beautiful irredescent green (like a Mallard duck). Talks a lot. They both usually talk at the same time, so it's hard to understand them AND hard to distinguish if there is a difference in sound. Did I mention the two Pekins join in the conversation and drown them out?

So whatcha think?

I'm pretty confident the duckie in the bottom part of the photo is a guy. His drake feather comes and goes too.

 

[buggymuffin]

The one one the bottom is definitely male. The one on the top is a little harder to tell. If they are the same age, I would expect the feathering to be in similar stages. While I see that the tail feathers are a bit curly, I am not seeing a true drake feather and it doesn't have a male's coloring. How do their quacks sound? Do they sound alike? You should be hearing a raspy frog like croak out of the one on the bottom. If the top one is male, it will sound the same. If it is female, it will be a loud QUACK! That will give you a definitive answer.

 

[Sara Ranch]

Both of the Khakis stand up tall and talk at the same time and the two Pekins join in. Pekins are LOUD!!!! So I have not been able to really hear a difference in sound. They both tend to talk at the same time. Like a competition. Where their voices use to be very soft and raspy, the volume has definitely increased and so has the sound. Higher sound, not so and Godfather like.

Yeah, neither have master the final drake feather curl yet.

So we shall see....should know for sure in another few weeks.

 

[buggymuffin]

If you feel like some exercise, you could pick it up. Then you would be able to tell who was making what sound.

 

[Sara Ranch]

Lol! Here's your popcorn.

Running shoes. Check.
Change of clothes and shower on standby. Check.
Gatorade. Pass.
Enclosed area. Check.
Running interference by fellow duckies. Check.
Obstacles, like the pool and calf house. Check.
Cheering squad. Check - that's you, ya know.

I will try a bit later. After the afternoon chores are complete. It will be quite the challenge to grab the duckie. UNLESS. Unless I let the Brat pack out. The Brat Pack will chase the duckies and then the duck being chased will allow me to catch said duck...Nope. Not doing that. It's cruel.

I'll check back in later and let you know what I find out.