Telling Pekin Ducks Apart

[Buttercup725]

I tried looking for other posts regarding this but really didn’t find the answer I’m looking for. If I overlooked a thread and am repeating, I apologize.

My Pekin ducklings are about two weeks old now. I have a crested so I’ll be able to tell that one apart from the other two. I’ve seen that others use different colored zip ties but I’m scared to use them. I know drakes have their curly cue tail feather which is so cute Obviously, telling them apart is difficult at this point, but when they get older I’m sure it’ll be a bit more difficult. Besides zip ties and the drake feathers, what does everyone use or go by to tell who’s who? Oh, I’m also aware of the difference in quacks.

ETA: Unrelated, but is anyone here from Florida? I’m in Deltona, about an hour from Daytona, and was looking for local duckie friends.

Added pics for you all to enjoy the cuteness

 

[nuthatched]

A dab of nail Polish or acrylic on their feet? Not red though.

 

[ruthhope]

Cute little fluffies!

My son bought 3 little fluffies from Tractor Supply two years ago. Within a week, it was obvious that one was smaller and crested. He could then identify one but not the other two until they got their feathers. One had a drake curl and so he could then identify all three and name them. The drake was obviously bigger than the regular female by 26 weeks.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Ducks of the same breed, whether they are all white or not, can definitely be difficult to tell apart unless they have random markings like pied. The coloured tie wraps are probably the best way once they are older, and in the meantime something like what @nuthatched suggested might work. How many ducklings do you have?

I'm sure you've done some research beforehand (after all, you're here, lol!) but just in case you didn't find that info, please be aware that Pekin will need extra EXTRA niacin for their lifetimes, as they are a super heavy breed and can develop joint problems. Also, if you haven't yet, find info on the care of crested ducks. It's caused by a hole in the skull, so you'll need to make sure this one remains protected from injury and not to breed it to avoid furthering this damaging defect.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I tried looking for other posts regarding this but really didn’t find the answer I’m looking for. If I overlooked a thread and am repeating, I apologize.

My Pekin ducklings are about two weeks old now. I have a crested so I’ll be able to tell that one apart from the other two. I’ve seen that others use different colored zip ties but I’m scared to use them. I know drakes have their curly cue tail feather which is so cute Obviously, telling them apart is difficult at this point, but when they get older I’m sure it’ll be a bit more difficult. Besides zip ties and the drake feathers, what does everyone use or go by to tell who’s who? Oh, I’m also aware of the difference in quacks.

ETA: Unrelated, but is anyone here from Florida? I’m in Deltona, about an hour from Daytona, and was looking for local duckie friends.

Added pics for you all to enjoy the cuteness

Subtle differences, very subtle. Plus behaviour differences

When I realised I was going to have two little yellow ducklings, I was pretty worried they'd be hard to tell apart once older-- but I was wrong, I noticed every detail and difference between them as they grew.
Zip ties can definitely make it much easier, though, if there aren't many differences

 

[BabyGotQuack]

I’ve got 2 pekins right now, I had a 3rd (she died ), and even when I had 3 I could always tell them apart as adults. When they’re babies it’s super hard! My boy obviously has the drake feather (his head is also shaped different) and my girls I could tell apart because they had different color bills, one was bright orange, the other was lighter.

That won’t always be the case though, some will look identical. I have 2 Cayugas and for the life of me cannot tell them apart! So for now they’re just a package deal, we just always refer to them as olive AND sage As babies I used colored zip ties but stopped once I could sex them.

Here is the Florida thread if you haven’t already found it
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/florida-always-sunny-side-up.305793/

 

[Buttercup725]

Subtle differences, very subtle. Plus behaviour differences

When I realised I was going to have two little yellow ducklings, I was pretty worried they'd be hard to tell apart once older-- but I was wrong, I noticed every detail and difference between them as they grew.
Zip ties can definitely make it much easier, though, if there aren't many differences

One of them was smaller the first week so it was easier to tell, but it’s caught up in size with the other one. Right now, I’m trying to go off of bill color since there’s a slight difference.

 

[Buttercup725]

I’ve got 2 pekins right now, I had a 3rd (she died ), and even when I had 3 I could always tell them apart as adults. When they’re babies it’s super hard! My boy obviously has the drake feather (his head is also shaped different) and my girls I could tell apart because they had different color bills, one was bright orange, the other was lighter.

That won’t always be the case though, some will look identical. I have 2 Cayugas and for the life of me cannot tell them apart! So for now they’re just a package deal, we just always refer to them as olive AND sage As babies I used colored zip ties but stopped once I could sex them.

Here is the Florida thread if you haven’t already found it
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/florida-always-sunny-side-up.305793/

I’m so sorry you lost your duckie! I lost my duck, Pickles, in 2021 and it still gets me in the feels. He was my buddy!

I’ve names the crested one Georgie because the head feathers remind me of George Washington’s hair We refer to the other ones as scaredy cat because it’s skiddish and the other one as other one lol.

 

[Buttercup725]

Ducks of the same breed, whether they are all white or not, can definitely be difficult to tell apart unless they have random markings like pied. The coloured tie wraps are probably the best way once they are older, and in the meantime something like what @nuthatched suggested might work. How many ducklings do you have?

I'm sure you've done some research beforehand (after all, you're here, lol!) but just in case you didn't find that info, please be aware that Pekin will need extra EXTRA niacin for their lifetimes, as they are a super heavy breed and can develop joint problems. Also, if you haven't yet, find info on the care of crested ducks. It's caused by a hole in the skull, so you'll need to make sure this one remains protected from injury and not to breed it to avoid furthering this damaging defect.

I’ve definitely learned about niacin deficiency because the crested one, Georgie, is dealing with it. I’ve since added brewer’s yeast to the feed and have sav-a-chick electrolyte packets.

I’m hoping that I can tell the sex of each of them before my husband and I start building their run so we can make a separate section if one or two of them turn out to be drakes.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

I’m so sorry you lost your duckie! I lost my duck, Pickles, in 2021 and it still gets me in the feels. He was my buddy!

I’ve names the crested one Georgie because the head feathers remind me of George Washington’s hair We refer to the other ones as scaredy cat because it’s skiddish and the other one as other one lol.

I like the name Georgie for the crested, that’s too good