Question about drake feathers

[sarahlan56]

Hi! I got two unsexed ducks about 9 months ago and one of them is obviously a boy. He is massive, has a curly drake feather, and is slightly aggressive. My other duck however, is smaller and we always assumed that it was a girl. Then one day we saw a little curly tail feather on her. Having seen no eggs thus far, it made sense that she was really a boy. Now, the curly feather that was once on her tail is gone. Is that normal? It was very clearly curled one day and then the next it was flat.

 

[neo71665]

Drakes will pull feathers out when fighting.

 

[Trisseh]

You should be able to tell by their voices at this point as well. If they both sound like chain smokers, and don’t make that typical duck “quack!” they’re both fellows. they also will lose that feather amongst the others during a molt, or as previously mentioned, they do pull feathers out when fighting.

 

[neo71665]

Chain smokers, roflmao

Never heard it described like that but ya hit the nail on the head

 

[Isaac 0]

Hi! I got two unsexed ducks about 9 months ago and one of them is obviously a boy. He is massive, has a curly drake feather, and is slightly aggressive. My other duck however, is smaller and we always assumed that it was a girl. Then one day we saw a little curly tail feather on her. Having seen no eggs thus far, it made sense that she was really a boy. Now, the curly feather that was once on her tail is gone. Is that normal? It was very clearly curled one day and then the next it was flat.

Easiest way to sex ducks is by voice, around eight weeks all mallard-derived ducks become sex-able by voice, males sound raspy, females QUACK.