Telling Mallards from Rouens and Duck Sexing and other Questions

[SkyWarrior]

I should've checked out the Holderread book again from the library before buying the mixed ducklings.

Well, I got a mixed flock of ducks from McMurray hatchery, where two didn't survive. So I bought 2 Cayugas.

I have 2 female Rouens, 3 Rouens or Mallards, 2 Pekins, and 1 Cayuga (the other didn't make it). BTW, how do you tell a production Rouen from a Mallard?

So, I thought I had all females. So, I bought 5 youngsters from someone who accidentally had 44 ducklings hatch. More on that later.

Then, I discovered that one Rouen had drake feathers. And then the Holderread book stated that green bills were a sign of being male. So, I have 2 male Rouens/Mallards.

Then, I started noticing that the Cayuga's quack is soft and more of a rasp. Another male?

Then, I read about the sex-link colors. Oh no.

The woman who I bought the ducklings from had one Khaki Campbell male which bred with a blue Swedish, Cayugas, Rouens, and Khaki Campbells.

My little ducklings are the following colors:

1 black
1 blue
3 brown/tan/chocolate

I'm now assuming because of the sex-link colors I have at least two drakes. I can't figure out what the patches of light tan under their throats indicate. It's like they're all marked like blue Swedish ducks but are brown. But one is like a Rouen. Females?

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

So in a nut shell you have a big assortment of ducks and are trying to tell what you have. Rouen will get twice the size of a mallard and they have different stripes around their eyes. I have vent sexed the first week but won't try it afterwards. Sounds like yours are older than a week. How old are they? After they get older you can look for the drake feather or pick them up and hear their voice.


I don't know anything about the sex linked colors-sorry.


Hopefullynyou can figure out what you have sooner than later.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Quote:
I have 2 two-year-olds. Of the ducklings, the older (6) ones are about 4 months old; the younger (5) ones about 1 month old. I'm not too worried about numbers, but I am curious.

Sounds like I have Rouens.

As for the sex, it'll be a surprise.

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

I was thinking you had older ones. Hope you have more girls than boys. I am playing the guessing game with chickens right now.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Quote:
The Pekins I'm pretty sure are girls. Loud quacks and no drake feathers. The other younger Rouen quacks loudly and has no sign of green coming in on her head. I'm hoping the brown mixes are hens because that would give me 8 females to 5 males. I may have to thin the herd if the boys get too nasty. OTOH, I'm guaranteed fertile eggs