Sexing muscovy ducklings 6 days old

[brandy21410]

I also would suspect the darker one is a drake, based on what you've described - the hissing, the assertiveness/protectiveness, the hissing. In the last batch of ducklings I hatched, the boys would always nibble my fingers.   

The smaller, non-hissing ones sound like they fit the profile for ducks. 

Thank you for the info, also, do you think that he will continue to be agressive. Iam worried because I dont want an angry drake attacking my roommates and fiance lol

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Thank you for the info, also, do you think that he will continue to be agressive. Iam worried because I dont want an angry drake attacking my roommates and fiance lol

I wouldn't worry too much about it now - while my drakes did nibble vigorously, they aged out of it and, as adult drakes, rarely do it at all now. Maybe it's not "cool" anymore.

I have several adult drakes of different ages and none of them are people-aggressive (they free range and are fed with the chickens twice a day). They're actually pretty mellow unless you try to catch one.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

cool, I hope so, but the one I just got witht the grey on the head and back is bigger than the one that I think is a female, but smaller than the ones that I think are drakes, perhapse it hatched sooner?

Possibly. It's difficult to know with any certainty at this age because they're still growing rapidly and their size can seem to change almost daily.

Is the darker one (or others) feathering faster? That could also be an early sign of a drake: http://www.raising-ducks.com/determining-muscovy-gender/. I've personally noticed that the ducks really do have a more petite, "feminine" appearance when compared to the drakes.

 

[brandy21410]

Possibly. It's difficult to know with any certainty at this age because they're still growing rapidly and their size can seem to change almost daily.   

Is the darker one (or others) feathering faster? That could also be an early sign of a drake: http://www.raising-ducks.com/determining-muscovy-gender/. I've personally noticed that the ducks really do have a more petite, "feminine" appearance when compared to the drakes.

I would say that the biggest yellow one (jerry) is feathering, but the others aren't really.

This is them today, they are 14 days old

 

[brandy21410]

I think the farthest yellow one is a girl (blueberry) the second one down from her is jerry, i think hes a drake and the second closest one (by jerry) is the other female, I think lol, her name is (Elaine) and the closest one is pancake he is the "agressive " one that I am on the fence with, but Iam leaning more towards drake. What do u guys think?

 

[brandy21410]

I wouldn't worry too much about it now - while my drakes did nibble vigorously, they aged out of it and, as adult drakes, rarely do it at all now. Maybe it's not "cool" anymore.  

I have several adult drakes of different ages and none of them are people-aggressive (they free range and are fed with the chickens twice a day). They're actually pretty mellow unless you try to catch one.

I am really hoping so I want them to be tame so I handle them once a day, but I have other chickens and I know my chickens are very healthy and I have only had the ducklings for 2 weeks and dont know, they act healthy but u never know. So i have been very careful to be biosecure. I just hope Iam handleing them right, it feels wrong. When I pick up a chick it feels right but it feels like Iam being too rough with the ducklings. How do you pick up the duckling? I hope Iam not harming them. And do you think I should be handleing them more than just once a day? TIA

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I am really hoping so I want them to be tame so I handle them once a day, but I have other chickens and I know my chickens are very healthy and I have only had the ducklings for 2 weeks and dont know, they act healthy but u never know. So i have been very careful to be biosecure. I just hope Iam handleing them right, it feels wrong. When I pick up a chick it feels right but it feels like Iam being too rough with the ducklings. How do you pick up the duckling? I hope Iam not harming them. And do you think I should be handleing them more than just once a day? TIA

Biosecurity is a prudent practice. I quarantine new animals for 2 weeks to ensure they're not ill even if they appear to be healthy when I bring them home.

I think Muscovy ducklings are generally much hardier than chicks...just don't drop one. I'm sure you've noticed how strong and wiggly the ducklings are - they have sharp claws because they're tree ducks, so when you pick them up, it should be firmly so they're held securely but obviously not tight enough to harm them. I don't pick mine up/handle them unless it's necessary to do a health-related check, but mine aren't really "pets". If I do need to pick one up, I use both hands and hold them so that their wings are basically held down. When they're fully grown, they can be very difficult to handle with powerful wings and feet; at that point, I again hold down their wings and then put them under my arm with their wings folded against their body.

 

[theycallmechickmagnet]

I don't know anything about ducks but wanted to see some. They are adorable. I notice one had a dark beak and the others have pink. Would that indicate a difference in sex?

no, i have a muscovy (a 1 week and a 2 week) one has a dark beak and one has a pink one and i vent sexed them they are both females. the only way to truthfully tell until they're a lot older is vent sexing

 

[theycallmechickmagnet]

I got another duckling with the advice everyone gave me for sexing that way I could add a frmale to my 2 males and 1 female I already had. I hope I got a female but let me know what y'all think. TIA

'she' is in the back of this pic, she is the yellow one with the blue back and cap.

She is in the front in this pic.

My two female muscovies: