Sexing a Duck?

[donnavee]

By accident we rescued a Black East Indies duckling (the by product of a couple getting a divorce), we think is about 3 mo old. Evidently the only other hatchling died shortly after hatching. So, is their a way to tell the sex at this age? It has one small white spot on it's chest. We have chickens but we are keeping it in a separate run and house for now. I know it needs a buddy, but this whole thing was unplanned so we are trying to do our best to keep it happy for now.

Also, we are feeding it chicken grower feed (unmedicated), but it doesn't seem to crazy about it. It seems to like worms and fresh corn, but I want those to be snacks - not the main food. Someone told me to add brewers yeast to the feed for extra niacin? It seems to enjoy eating food it it's thrown in water? As I said, we have been raising a small flock of chickens so this little guy/gal is definitely different.

 

[Wifezilla]

Yes, ducks love food thrown in water

There is a sticky at the top of the duck forum that tells you how to sex ducklings. At 3 months voice sexing should be easy. Basically if it is loud it is a girl. If it has a raspy, quite quack, it is a drake.

 

[katharinad]

Either you watch for a sound coming out of the duck, which can take a while. Or you grab it. Then it will complain with either a loud quack sound (girl) or it sounds like it has a sore throat (boy). That's the fasted and easiest way to tell. Don't give in and only feed corn, its a junk diet for ducks. It will get over it and eat what it gets and finds. It just needs to adjust.

 

[donnavee]

Thanks - I listened to the sounds and I definitely think girl. So she is Daisy! From raising chickens, I definitely know that scratch is just a treat so I am trying to get her to eat the proper food with a few snacks for fun.

 

[Surehatch]

Quote:
good idea