Muscovy genders

[LydiaB]

My Muscovy are now a bit over 4 weeks old. I’m thinking 2 girls and 1 boy, or maybe3 girls ? But I know nothing. Hopefully the pics are good enough, my camera was being super slow.

 

[KathiQuacks]

All I know about Muscovy Ducks is the males will be noticeably larger and have longer, broader tails. It might not be very accurate / evident at this age, though.

It’ll be very obvious once they’re feathered, as males will continue to grow to be twice the size of the females, and will get far more caruncles on their faces.

Females will make sweet, trilling sounds, and males will huff.

 

[Canadian Wind]

You should start seeing a difference in size at this point. Males will also have much thicker legs. And the females' heads are just more, well, female. Dainty and delicate.

If you can get pictures of them together, just them, it would be helpful.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

^this. Males have noticeably thicker legs and a broader build in the head neck are.

 

[LydiaB]

I’ll try to separate them and get better pics tonight. They all seem to be about the same size so far, I had a larger one but unfortunately it died last week. At the time I was thinking one of these 3 was also a boy based on size, but now they all seem the same size. For sure 2 have a more v shaped tail, I’m not sure on the third. When do they get feathers? I feel like they are taking forever.

 

[ruthhope]

It's really too soon to tell. From 6 weeks old the males continue to grow but the females don't

The females get a sweet little gurgling voice that drakes do not. Once there are gurgles you know for certain which are female

I had Max who was thought to be male as he grew so rapidly as a rescued duckling, but he stopped growing at 6 weeks old and then it became obvious Max was Maxine when she started gurgling.

I have Daffy who I thought was female as he was small and gentle. He kept growing and growing and became a 14lb magnificent drake. He's nolonger gentle -- when he follows me round the backyard, he is fond of biting my shins and ankles.

 

[LydiaB]

Here are some more pictures. Mostly of just them.

 

[LydiaB]

They like to move so it’s hard to get pics.

 

[Canadian Wind]

LOVE that completely black one!

Still a bit difficult to tell unfortunately. I see pointed tails and square tails, but I never base my assumptions on that. A lot of them like to mimic the other gender!

 

[ruthhope]

I love the two that I thought were ia bunny in img_1903