Sexing ducklings

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In the Brooder
Jun 16, 2016
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Has anyone happened to notice if female ducklings peep more often than males? Or is it about the same until their voices change?

Any other tips on sexing Swedish Blue ducklings is appreciated.
 
A vet or very experienced breeder can sex them at two weeks at youngest. Voice is the same until they get their quacks, so you can't rely on it. Voice isn't the best thing to go on alone while sexing ducks anyway. Once they are a couple weeks old and the feathers come in you will be able to tell by the sex feather. If they have a feather on their tail curling up, it's a drake. If the tail is just straight, it's a hen.
 
It is strange that at some point, before they reavh maturity, even drakes make female quacks. I was ceetain I had a female duckling for a while, before he got curled up tail feather and changed voice. He lost the sporadic quacks eventually.

Same thing this year, but with even more quacking. I was certain I got tow hens, but now, I see tail feather curling again... This one still quacks from time to time, but mostly use the duckling chirps.
IMG_20180621_193003.jpg

Can you see the tail curling? I hope I'm not imagining things again. :lau
 
It is strange that at some point, before they reavh maturity, even drakes make female quacks. I was ceetain I had a female duckling for a while, before he got curled up tail feather and changed voice. He lost the sporadic quacks eventually.

Same thing this year, but with even more quacking. I was certain I got tow hens, but now, I see tail feather curling again... This one still quacks from time to time, but mostly use the duckling chirps.
View attachment 1439452
Can you see the tail curling? I hope I'm not imagining things again. :lau
Yes the one upfront definitely has a curling tail! Every drake I get I'm certain is a hen until they're a couple weeks old. Still, I never seem to learn... Beautiful ducks:)
 
And I just remembered about this conversation. It ended up the tail feathers were fake - it's a regular hen with no testosterone. :D

They always trick me!
 

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