Muscovy genders

[ChicKola]

My babies are about 5-6 weeks old. From the same farm but hatched within days of each other. I think I know genders of 3 of them, but I’m unsure of 2 of them.

I think 1 & 2 are girls. Small legs.

I am pretty certain 5 is a boy. Thick legs big feet. And he’s just overall bigger than all of them.

3 & 4 I’m on the fence about. They’re legs aren’t huge but they’re not tiny. Feet aren’t that big .. hmmm

Thoughts?

 

[Quatie]

1 and 2 do look like girls to me. Their feathers are also further along. 3 and 5 look like drakes and I would guess 4 because it looks just as feathered as 3 and 5.

They are adorable though!

 

[ruthhope]

Muscovy females stop growing at about 8 weeks old whereas males continue to grow up to 12 weeks. By 8 weeks old, the boys are obviously larger than the girls.

I would not try and sex them until they are fully feathered and 8 weeks old. By then, the females may have started "babbling" away, talking to the other ducks and to you. The drakes do not make that babbling chatter.

 

[ruthhope]

Thanks for that info!

I made the mistake of comparing daily weight gains of my first Muscovy with weight gain charts I found on the internet. I was convinced my boy was female at 7 weeks old as he was growing along the female growth line -- the drakes' growth rate starts increasing bove the female's growth rate from 6 weeks. However, my boy may have been growing more slowly along the female growth line, but he carried on growing and growing for another 5 weeks. I have since realised that the charts were developed using data from commercial barnyard muscovy and commercial farmers feed the ducks for rapid growth so that they can be killed for their meat quickly. Whereas my little fluff ball was not over fed and just grew at his own pace.
My son's female muscovy -- another rescue-- was thought to be male as she grew very quickly with the wildlife rehabber who cared for her. She was named Max becuase of her fast growth. But she stopped growing and it became obvious that Max is Maxine!!!

So I would now not try and sex muscovy ducklings by size, and shape until they are 8 weeks old.

 

[ChicKola]

I made the mistake of comparing daily weight gains of my first Muscovy with weight gain charts I found on the internet. I was convinced my boy was female at 7 weeks old as he was growing along the female growth line -- the drakes' growth rate starts increasing bove the female's growth rate from 6 weeks. However, my boy may have been growing more slowly along the female growth line, but he carried on growing and growing for another 5 weeks. I have since realised that the charts were developed using data from commercial barnyard muscovy and commercial farmers feed the ducks for rapid growth so that they can be killed for their meat quickly. Whereas my little fluff ball was not over fed and just grew at his own pace.
My son's female muscovy -- another rescue-- was thought to be male as she grew very quickly with the wildlife rehabber who cared for her. She was named Max becuase of her fast growth. But she stopped growing and it became obvious that Max is Maxine!!!

So I would now not try and sex muscovy ducklings by size, and shape until they are 8 weeks old.

Yes yes, I had only been comparing to each other, since they were all hatched within days of each other, same farm. It appears the one boy is obvious. He started to get noticeably bigger and continues to be bigger than all of them. thank you for the info! I know the drake I will be keeping, so it’s hard to play the waiting game when you know any other boys will need to find new pasture..

 

[ChicKola]

Updated pics

 

[ChicKola]

1 and 2 do look like girls to me. Their feathers are also further along. 3 and 5 look like drakes and I would guess 4 because it looks just as feathered as 3 and 5.

They are adorable though!

Thanks for your input!

 

[ChicKola]

Muscovy females stop growing at about 8 weeks old whereas males continue to grow up to 12 weeks. By 8 weeks old, the boys are obviously larger than the girls.

I would not try and sex them until they are fully feathered and 8 weeks old. By then, the females may have started "babbling" away, talking to the other ducks and to you. The drakes do not make that babbling chatter.

Thanks for that info!