Hi there! I have been reading lots and lots on this site and it has all been very helpful! I have raised chickens in the past, but I am new to ducks.
I have 8 ducklings, just over a week old. I have a male/female pair of Welsh Harlequins, one female Runner, Buff, Jumbo Pekin, Cayuga, Blue Swedish, and one Rouen that the gender is of yet unknown. They are all happy and healthy and have grown like crazy!
My question is about the Welsh Harlequin drake. He was a little smaller than the rest when they arrived, and although he has grown, he is still significantly smaller. I’ve watched them all religiously this past week, and they all get along very well. He isn’t being bullied or kept away from the food. Their food and water containers are big enough that they can all eat and drink at the same time without competition. He seems perfectly happy and healthy. He is energetic and inquisitive. He is simply smaller than the rest. Has anyone else experienced this? I’m wondering if maybe males grow at a different rate? Or maybe he’ll just be a small duck?
I’m not really worried about him since he’s eating and drinking and pooping as much as all the others, and he seems to be a self-assured little guy who can hold his own with his bigger flock mates; I’m just curious!
I’ll attach some pictures, though it can be a little hard to see the size difference from pictures alone.
I have 8 ducklings, just over a week old. I have a male/female pair of Welsh Harlequins, one female Runner, Buff, Jumbo Pekin, Cayuga, Blue Swedish, and one Rouen that the gender is of yet unknown. They are all happy and healthy and have grown like crazy!
My question is about the Welsh Harlequin drake. He was a little smaller than the rest when they arrived, and although he has grown, he is still significantly smaller. I’ve watched them all religiously this past week, and they all get along very well. He isn’t being bullied or kept away from the food. Their food and water containers are big enough that they can all eat and drink at the same time without competition. He seems perfectly happy and healthy. He is energetic and inquisitive. He is simply smaller than the rest. Has anyone else experienced this? I’m wondering if maybe males grow at a different rate? Or maybe he’ll just be a small duck?
I’m not really worried about him since he’s eating and drinking and pooping as much as all the others, and he seems to be a self-assured little guy who can hold his own with his bigger flock mates; I’m just curious!
I’ll attach some pictures, though it can be a little hard to see the size difference from pictures alone.
