Pekin duck tails

[MommaBugg]

I have three pekins. Two are about 1 1/2 months old, hatch date being March 2 2011. I am posting pics of tail feathers.

Are they old enough to be able to distinguish gender by tail feathers? One, that I assume is a young drake has tail feathers that are starting to curl up, and the other, the same age which I assume is a hen has no curling tail feathers. They just with in the last week started curling up. I need an expert opinion, is 'his' tail feathers really curling or just like, out of place like having messy hair? I cannot tell by the quack yet.. they BOTH seem to have a raspy quack most of the time. The one I think is a female does get loud when startled. They are both identical is size as well.

Here is my husbands duck Donald(the presumed drake)

Here is my daughters duck Doonan

They just got out of their bath when I took these so they look a little wet, hope the pics posted..

 

[Mom 2em All]

You wont be certain until it is very obvious- but I think it is safe to say that the first picture shows the beginning of a drake feather!

 

[MommaBugg]

Quote:
This is what I am hoping. I am waiting now for my runners to grow out of their 'awkward' stage and start showing signs of gender. Do runners get drake feathers too?

 

[The Duck ABC's]

I think it is the starting of a drake feather too. The curly feather does not always develop at the same time in all birds, some need way longer. The voice is more interesting. The raspy sound is a sign of a drake. They just cannot get loud at all. From your description I would say you have 2 drakes and 1 hen. Give it another week and you can be absolutely clear about the voice difference. You can separate them so that they cannot see each other and listen to their complaint calls.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
This is what I am hoping. I am waiting now for my runners to grow out of their 'awkward' stage and start showing signs of gender. Do runners get drake feathers too?

Yes they do!!! I have one male runner whose drake feathers curl all the way over!

 

[MommaBugg]

Quote:
This is what I am hoping. I am waiting now for my runners to grow out of their 'awkward' stage and start showing signs of gender. Do runners get drake feathers too?

Yes they do!!! I have one male runner whose drake feathers curl all the way over!

Yay! I cannot wait! I love my runners.. they look like raggy little bowling pins right now

theyre losing baby down and growing in their big kid feathers. They look so cute. My third pekin is still only about 3 weeks younger than the ones pictured, so I have no idea what it is yet. I am hoping I have two hens and a drake. On the runners I am hoping for one hen and one drake. We got the ducks and chicks for meat birds. eggs and to start a breeding stock for more meat birds. I had to do away with one rouen a bit too soon. I didnt want to, but she was MEAN, picked at ducks and chicks alike. She tried to kill anything else around her. I didnt want a psychotic duck teaching the rest of my flock(which are all very sweet and good natured) her bad habits, and I had no space to isolate her until she was bigger, so unfortunately we had to do her a little early.

 

[esu531]

I have 2 Pekin boys and I would have to say that you definitely have a male there.