Sexing 8 Week Call Ducklings - Need Help!

quackkquack_

Songster
Jun 30, 2022
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Hi again.. : D
So I was certain I knew the genders of my three remaining call ducklings but I'm starting to doubt myself with one of them.
My three ducklings are Pike, Tokki and Fawn. Pike is definitely a female, always quacking up a storm like her mother. Although when Fawn gets scared or is calling out, he sounds like a girl but he does have a green head like a male so yeah.
The one I'm doubting myself on is Tokki.
Fawn and my other two late ducklings started getting their green heads when they were only 4-5 weeks old so since the others didn't have green heads, I assumed they were girls.
I noticed that Tokki still doesn't quack but I heard it can take up to 10 weeks old for them to get their quack but instead of quacking Tokki kinda whistles?
I'm not sure how to describe it, it sounds like whistling though. I can try and get a video sometime tomorrow.
I mean I do assume Tokki is a female and if she is, is there any reason shes "whistling"?
 
Hey guys! Sorry I wasn't able to get photos and pictures yesterday, I have to use my mom's phone and she's coming over tomorrow so I'll get some tomorrow :)

I listened more carefully to them today and watched how they acted with each other.
Something I've noticed is Tokki is always on "watchout" (shes also the biggest of the three)
While Pike and Fawn scavenge or nibble my shoes and pants, Tokki will stand tall behind them looking around.
I listened more carefully to Tokki's voice and its almost starting to sound like my older drake, Buzzard.
I also noticed that Fawn makes happy noises like the females do. I've never heard my older drake make happy noises and Fawn also quacks really loud sometimes despite having a green head..
There is no way I'm mishearing the two since I've heard the way they quack when they are alone.

Honestly not sure at this point anymore.. but I know pictures and videos will help out a bunch so I'll get them tomorrow when my mom gets here!
 
Got the pictures and videos!
The videos aren't the best but you can definitely hear them! Although the videos made their voices sound a bit higher-pitched then they are in real life!

Here is the video of Tokki:
Here is the video of Fawn:

The quack in the beginning of the video of Fawn was extremely loud in real life! Lol!
Fawn quacks sometimes just like Pike and then Tokki's "quack" is starting to sound like Buzzard a little bit.
Here are pictures!

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Screenshot 2023-07-31 2.29.09 PM.png
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Hey guys! Sorry I wasn't able to get photos and pictures yesterday, I have to use my mom's phone and she's coming over tomorrow so I'll get some tomorrow :)

I listened more carefully to them today and watched how they acted with each other.
Something I've noticed is Tokki is always on "watchout" (shes also the biggest of the three)
While Pike and Fawn scavenge or nibble my shoes and pants, Tokki will stand tall behind them looking around.
I listened more carefully to Tokki's voice and its almost starting to sound like my older drake, Buzzard.
I also noticed that Fawn makes happy noises like the females do. I've never heard my older drake make happy noises and Fawn also quacks really loud sometimes despite having a green head..
There is no way I'm mishearing the two since I've heard the way they quack when they are alone.

Honestly not sure at this point anymore.. but I know pictures and videos will help out a bunch so I'll get them tomorrow when my mom gets here!
Grey girls and boys basicially look the same initially. You won't be able to tell by feathers until they have their Juvenile molt.
It can also be very tricky at that age to tell by voice until they have a definite rasp. Here's an example.

Hear the QUACK between peeps in the first video?
(Btw that is a call duck i had been calling it a goose on account of it's big honker😄)

In the second video i have two juveniles that i am 99 percent positive are drakes despite their attempts to make quacking noises. They will sometimes sound like this for a while before they lose their voice permanently to the drake rasp. But if you listen close it isn't the same as the higher pitch squeaky girl quack.
 
Great videos @shawluvsbirds
I’m gonna bet that Fawn is female, Tokki male, but even at 8 weeks, it can be a challenge!
I'm hanging on to those two seperate from the others to make sure i am correct about them being drakes. I'll try and remember to post the results here.
 

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