Larkwell Valley (2023)

[Canadian Wind]

Maybe. Gramps is in the mixed pen so far planwise, so I'll see if any females end up with it to hold onto

Hopefully it won't be a lethal trait like crested, nor bring along the complications of even the single gene.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hopefully it won't be a lethal trait like crested, nor bring along the complications of even the single gene.

I guess we'll see. I haven't noticed anything off about Gramps so far. He acts like any other duck here.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My scovie littles are getting fat.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My scovie littles are getting fat.

I'm thinking I have 1 male and 3 females, but wouldn't be surprised if it's more a 2 and 2 ratio. Of course the friendliest is also the 'fattest',, so most likely a male. They're not actually fat (I don't think at least), but they're definitely doing their best BBW impression right now. Might have found a place I can take birds to process, so I'll probably do that with the extra males I have now and the scovy males if I have any in this batch. How old until I can tell sexes for the scovies again? I can tell my males already in the mallard derived portion, and they're the same age, but the scovies all are still downy and peeping

 

[Canadian Wind]

I'm thinking I have 1 male and 3 females, but wouldn't be surprised if it's more a 2 and 2 ratio. Of course the friendliest is also the 'fattest',, so most likely a male. They're not actually fat (I don't think at least), but they're definitely doing their best BBW impression right now. Might have found a place I can take birds to process, so I'll probably do that with the extra males I have now and the scovy males if I have any in this batch. How old until I can tell sexes for the scovies again? I can tell my males already in the mallard derived portion, and they're the same age, but the scovies all are still downy and peeping

By eight weeks, you will see a marked difference in size. But even before that you should be able to tell by looks and behaviour. It gets easier with more experience but even the best of us make mistakes!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

By eight weeks, you will see a marked difference in size. But even before that you should be able to tell by looks and behaviour. It gets easier with more experience but even the best of us make mistakes!

Okay. I had a runt last year that turned out to be a smaller male, so I wasn't sure how accurate size actually was. Behaviorwise, they all seem pretty much the same, even the friendly one is starting to think I'm drooling over him (which would be fair if he actually is a male)

 

[Canadian Wind]

Yeah, they can be tricky little buggers!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'll see if I can get a picture of the 4 together. At least it looks like the two I'm most certain are girls are the only ones with head spots (but I might be forgetting the tricky 3rd one. I don't think he has a spot though)

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@Canadian Wind , here's a pastel pair

 

[Canadian Wind]

Yeah, I can see the resemblance with that one of mine. Just going to have to wait for adult plumage to come in to identify properly. Thanks Jacin!