Not sure how to title this question

[jsdspif]

I have 2 rouen ducks and they are about 4 months old and look almost identical. One has a bill that is kind of all dark dark green and the other kind of has a 2 tone so I don't know if they are male or female. lately when I let them out in the morning one jumps into a small water pan and the other one climbs on top of the other duck and I think they are trying or actually are having sex. Does that mean that the one on top is male and the one on the bottom is female. I never think about looking to see if the same one is always on the bottom. The only way I could tell is looking at the bill. Is 4 months an age where they start to have sex? It's a serious question even though it may not sound like it.

 

[sourland]

You may very likely have a pair as drakes tend to have an olive green bill and hens a brown/black bill. Hens will also engage in mating behavior with one another - ducks tend to be very hormonal. At this age you should be able to voice sex your ducks. Hens will have a loud quack, and drakes will have a raspy voice.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Sourland is right and you may very well have a pair. However, practice mating is done by all genders. My drakes are currently on vacation and my girls “surf” each other. I believe it is about pecking order.

 

[jsdspif]

Hi The quack thing I can't figure out and as far as picking them up to hear the quack I'm not able to pick them up. The only difference I notice is one has the olive green and the other has like a two tone kind of orange black bill. I guess one of them the legs seem more of an orange color to them like more of a glossy orange where as the other is kind of a flat color. My curiosity is really getting the best of me as to what sexes I have got.

 

[Duckworth]

My all female flock take turns being on top and presenting for mounting every time I change their pool water. It’s common behavior and you may or may not have a male-female pair. The bill color and voice differences may help you tell what you have.

 

[ShannonR]

Can you tell the sex by their tails yet? If male they will eventually develop a curl at the very end of their tails

 

[jsdspif]

My thinking is I'd like to at least get an egg out of the deal. I had thought about chickens for years and then a few months ago at tractor supply they were marking the prices down and you had to buy 4 chickens but the ducks you only had to buy 2 and I didn't really want 4 chickens and I just didn't really think about needing females to get eggs until a couple days later. Not a real big deal, just thought it would be neat to get an egg every now and then. I also have about a 4 year old minipig and the ducks have made friends with her. The other day she was laying outside her pighouse and the ducks appeared to be asleep laying at her belly. They are pretty interesting creatures.

 

[jsdspif]

I've been watching their tails and I don't see any difference in them. I got them march 23rd (I think) but I'm not sure how old they were then, maybe a week. I have a couple pictures of them from about a month ago but they now look different, so maybe I'll get a new photo to post.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Photos are always good.

 

[chickens really]

Drake curl comes in once they molt at around 4 months.