Mallards

[conniesue27]

About what age do mallard drakes start to show color, I have 3 that are about 4 weeks old and are starting to look a little green on there rump and head. And also can anyone tell me how you can tell a wild mallard from a rouen. I bought these ducklings from TSC and they didn't know which kind they are, and I'd like to get some more, but I'd like to have the same kind.

 

[Tia Z.]

I think a Rouen has two stripes over their eyes and a mallard has one stripe and a smudge type of marking underneath the stripe. I'm still waiting to find out what my mallard is, male or female. It's about the same age as yours and no coloring yet so maybe mine is a female. Can't wait to find out though

 

[conniesue27]

If you look on the back of your ducks, the males seem to have different feathers on there backside then the females, like a larger patch near there tails. If you google mallard pictures you can see where the male has dark green feathers on it just in front of there tail,this is where I first saw the colors starting to change. There brown at first, but if you catch it in the sunlight, it will really show the green pigmet in the brown. Do you think that rouens are a lot bigger even as ducklings then a mallard?

 

[todd walker]

4-5 months,they will start flying before they are fully colored out.