saxony runner duck or drake??

[lindisfarne]

Hi

We've had our 3 runner ducks for about 6 months since they were around 12 weeks old, but we've only ever had eggs from 2 of them. They stopped laying a couple of months ago and went into moult. Even though they were bought as ducks, we think the saxony may be a drake as she has started to feather up alot darker and I heard that they change plumage into the breeding season? Also been a bit more boistrous with the chickens. As far as rasping and quacking, she does both!

We feel 'she' is a drake but can anyone confirm about the feathering change?
thanks for your help

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi

We've had our 3 runner ducks for about 6 months since they were around 12 weeks old, but we've only ever had eggs from 2 of them. They stopped laying a couple of months ago and went into moult. Even though they were bought as ducks, we think the saxony may be a drake as she has started to feather up alot darker and I heard that they change plumage into the breeding season? Also been a bit more boistrous with the chickens. As far as rasping and quacking, she does both!

We feel 'she' is a drake but can anyone confirm about the feathering change?
thanks for your help

Doesn't look like she has the telltale drake tail feather at the end of her tail it would curl up. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...UIOGKuSsigLRooEI&sqi=2&ved=0CB8Q9QEwAA&dur=20 look at the pic you can see the drake feather on the drakes.

 

[jdywntr]

I would say drake from the pics. It's hard to tell size from the pics but it does look larger than the others. Runners are small but there is a noticeable difference in size. By this time it should have a drake feather and should have a noticeable voice but if molting recently a drake feather may not have grown back yet. Drake feathers can be pulled out by other birds and I think that many ducks can have SO many different noises it is difficult to tell the difference until you have heard males and females for sure.

Okay, this is kind of odd and requires patience but they should be at least mock mating. Stay within eyesight but not so that you will infringe on activities but watch what they are doing. If it appears that this one is mating another keep an eye on its "privates". Drakes have a corkscrew penis that takes 10-30 seconds (in my experience) to go back inside. If you see the corkscrew, its a boy.

If it hasn't been said yet, if this is a drake, you need to make sure it isn't trying to mate your chickens. Drakes + chicken hen = potential death. I had runners and they were rather randy but I had too many drakes.

 

[lindisfarne]

OK thanks for all the info from both of you!

She definitely hasn't had a curled tail feather yet, but we thought it may appear after this first moult. She definitely is bigger than the other two, and the leader of the bunch for sure. Guess we'll just have to keep a close eye on her/him...and watch out for any amorous activity...!