Need Some Duck Help

[JustKayla]

Hiya!

This question has probably been asked a million times before but I need the answer before I send myself insane with wonder, haha. I apologise in advance if I ramble and this post becomes a novel.


I’m a first time duck owner and before I got my ducks, I did a lot of research on owning ducks and then even more research when I found out the breed of my ducks. These ducks have become a major part of my life and have helped a lot of finding that little bit of light through my dark days so not knowing one of their genders is sending me crazy cause I can’t name the duck properly, haha. I just love watching them run around and I absolutely coo over watching my youngest duck jump & run around with his little wings expanded.


I have 4 ducks, 3 I am sure of their gender and breed:

Marvin - Indian Runner x Khaki Campbell, female

(though by her name, I thought she was a male before being told she wasn’t)

Drake & Greyson - Muscovy, both males

(I was told these two were females at the produce I bought them from, I knew by looking at their very large feet that I knew the girl was wrong on their gender)


Then there is Daffy.


I bought Daffy at the same time as Drake & Greyson. Daffy was the duck that all the other ducks were picking on so badly that Daffy had hardly any wing and back feathers, I had to take Daffy home with me! And I can happily say that Daffy’s feathers are coming back very nicely. Unlike the boys, I’m still trying my very best to bond with Daffy but he/she is still very stand offish with me and it’s understandable.


I have not even the slightest idea what breed Daffy could be, nor do I have the slightest idea what gender Daffy could be. I am in a bit of a dilemma with Daffy. Most signs point to female, but then most signs also point to male. Daffy is my noisiest duck. Daffy makes more of a quack noise and is forever talking, or as I like to think of it - bossing Marvin, Drake and Greyson around, haha, and I have not heard any of the noises that Drake and Greyson make out of Daffy. Daffy is almost smaller than Greyson, who is my youngest duck. But Daffy, though appears to be female, has a single curled tail feather. And reading up on a lot of duck breeds, males have the curled tail feather. And just looking at Daffy, I honestly do not have the slightest idea of what breed Daffy could be. And going off what I’ve read about the male gender of different breeds, males have large feet and Daffy has small feet like Marvin.


So, I’m sure you can tell what my question is...

What gender is my Daffy?

What breed is Daffy?


And also, one more question...

How many females is there meant to be the male ratio?

I feel I have too many males already due to being told the wrong genders of Drake & Greyson. I don’t want Marvin to be too stressed, she’s my very first duck and to lose her would be like losing my son!


Thank you in advance to anyone who can help me. And please feel free to pass on any information of owning ducks to this first time owner. I’ve become like a sponge to any information on ducks. I want to give my babies the best life they can have.


Kayla

Ps: I will upload a video of my ducks when I get on my laptop! I just love the video and has me in a fit of giggles, and everyone else who watches it, every time I watch it!

Edit: Video of my 4 ducks.
In order they come in:
Drake (Black & White), Greyson (Grey & White), Marvin (Brown) & Daffy (Black)

 

[PirateGirl]

From what I gather Muscovy make different noises than Mallard derived breeds, so just because Daffy sounds different doesn't mean he/she is the opposite gender. @Miss Lydia would you say this is accurate? As soon as we see your video/photos we can give you some more ideas!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yep Mallard derived and Muscovy sound nothing alike.

 

[JustKayla]

From what I gather Muscovy make different noises than Mallard derived breeds, so just because Daffy sounds different doesn't mean he/she is the opposite gender. @Miss Lydia would you say this is accurate? As soon as we see your video/photos we can give you some more ideas!

OH! I didn't know that. Now, I do and I can let the boys know because they are now taking guesses on what gender Daffy is, haha.

I also just posted the video

 

[JustKayla]

Yep Mallard derived and Muscovy sound nothing alike.

Now, I'm going to youtube Mallard ducks, haha! I didn't know that they didn't sound alike, rather interesting to me now and has sparked a research frenzy

 

[PirateGirl]

Now, I'm going to youtube Mallard ducks, haha! I didn't know that they didn't sound alike, rather interesting to me now and has sparked a research frenzy

You should be able to look on Youtube for a video of how to voice sex ducks, it should be fairly obvious. Sorry I can't watch your video at the moment, but I will watch/listen later.

 

[PirateGirl]

Soooo I can't even see Daffys full body in the video. Can you get Daffy separate and take another video and/or a good photo of the tail you mentioned?

 

[PirateGirl]

And all your ducks are eating in the video and not making noise.

 

[JustKayla]

Soooo I can't even see Daffys full body in the video. Can you get Daffy separate and take another video and/or a good photo of the tail you mentioned?

I’ll have a look on my phone to see if I have any other videos that show Daffy more. If not, I’ll distract the others to get a better video of Daffy
I would try to get a photo now but Daffy doesn’t stay still long enough for a decent photo haha

 

[shawluvsbirds]

I’ll have a look on my phone to see if I have any other videos that show Daffy more. If not, I’ll distract the others to get a better video of Daffy
I would try to get a photo now but Daffy doesn’t stay still long enough for a decent photo haha

I can't tell for sure from your video, But what I could see it looks like a Cayuga to me.
If it has a loud QUACK it should be a girl. If is has a low raspy quack then it should be a drake. I say should only because there are those rare occasions. . but normally that is how you can tell . (if they are a mallard derived duck, which a Cayuga would be)