New Duck Mom - What Have I Got?

[linshickerson]

I just posted in the New Member section, so if anyone wants to read my little introduction here, here you go!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/930269/new-duck-mom-tennessee#post_14193616

I've been trying for a couple of weeks now to figure out just what Maybe is, and I can't tell at all! I figured this would be the best place to get feedback from experienced duck owners!

When will I be able to tell more of male/female with feathers? When will I get my first quack? These are done questions that have been driving me crazy with anticipation ever since I got my little duck!

 

[linshickerson]

Just trying to get as many photos on here as I can, I'd love to find out what kind of duckling I have!

 

[blumoo1]

You'll know better when it feathers, most ducklings look like that at that age. It isn't going to be a white duck like an Aylesbury or White Campbell but other than that I don't know

 

[willowbirdks]

I can't tell you the breed, but I will say you could get a quack as early 4 weeks (mixed in with the peeps). I have only raised two flocks of ducklings, but in both the quacking was really consistent enough to be confident about sex by 8-10 weeks or so. Males and females truly make quite different sounds.

http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/artquacks.htm

Good luck! Does your ducky have a friend?

 

[Going Quackers]

That looks like perhaps a Muscovy and if so, there will be no quacking and no drake curl, they are NOT mallard derived and lean more towards a goose vs a duck.

Usually by 4-6wks you can tell by size with them whether they are male or female, size is what shows the differences in this breed, the males only hiss, females trill, coo, hiss and on occasion quack/honk.

Muscovy are excellent foragers, documented for their fly eating abilities and are capable of flight, most drakes however past youth no longer do because of their size, they have claws like no tomorrow and use them for climbing, they are roosting ducks and enjoy a platform.

My avatar is a young one of mine, my last clutch of the summer.

This site has oodles of info on Muscovy and we have several threads here dedicated to the breed.

http://www.muscovyduckcentral.com/muscovyinfo.html