The Quack Shack

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Thanks, with my luck it is probably a drake. The Drake father of it has a green bill with black spots on it and so do my other drake boys so unless it changes again after this 4 and a half week old period it is a boy I would guess. I want to keep it as it hatched out here so it will be in the bachelor pad next year with the Mafia boys, lol.

The colour is independent of the gender in Black Swedish ducks! Both, duck and drake are just black - more or less.
Do you have just one duckling? - I can identify possible drake candidates at an age of about two weeks by their bill. Drakelings have a more wide, spoon like bill, whereas the ducklings bills are more slim and a bit pointy. Worked very well in the past for the 'lings within one clutch.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

You called it a He but it is a female right???

Its Mr. PeaDuck. Not transgender birds have been spotted here…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Thanks, I got confused and thought you was calling Karen a he and I just couldn't believe it with all the quacking she does, lol. It doesn't take much to confuse me by the way. lol

Karen is a duck! - The naughty Monty-Python drakes are called »Naughtius Maximus«, »Prongus Longus« and »Biggus Dickus«. So far none of the drakes has rasped to speak with the manager, but if one of them dares, he would become a »Ken«.

 

[Pyxis]

And a Tuft is not a defect, like crests in ducks? - No hole in the skull or brain damage?

Yep, totally different to crests in ducks. It's just a ball of skin, so of course the bigger the ball of skin, the bigger the tuft. There's no hole in the skull or extra fat in the brain or any of that stuff. And it's not a lethal gene like crests.

 

[Luv Ducks]

The colour is independent of the gender in Black Swedish ducks! Both, duck and drake are just black - more or less.
Do you have just one duckling? - I can identify possible drake candidates at an age of about two weeks by their bill. Drakelings have a more wide, spoon like bill, whereas the ducklings bills are more slim and a bit pointy. Worked very well in the past for the 'lings within one clutch.

Thank you. Yes, I had a Mallard Momma hatch out a white egg that someone (Namely Me) snuck into her nest before she started sitting. I wanted to see what she would get. Only one hatched out of the white eggs and three of her Mallard green eggs so it is not alone and they go everywhere in the pen together as a group. I only have the Black Swedish Call drake so I know he is the Daddy but still not sure who the Momma is. I was thinking my Muscovy which would make it a Hinnie duck and that is fine if it is. I already have a Mule so why not a Hinnie, lol. Thanks again for the info on the bill, I will look at it next to see if that helps.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Its Mr. PeaDuck. Not transgender birds have been spotted here…

Yes the females are not that beautiful at all compared to the males.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Just wanted to show off ducklings

20230622_113956.mp4

• Canadian Wind
• Jun 22, 2023

Longer clip of bathing ducklings

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Yep, totally different to crests in ducks. It's just a ball of skin, so of course the bigger the ball of skin, the bigger the tuft. There's no hole in the skull or extra fat in the brain or any of that stuff. And it's not a lethal gene like crests.

Thank you very much for explaining this! - Yes, crests in ducks are causing so much pain and suffering, but i wish my two crested ducks Pommes and Pompom would still be around…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Thank you. Yes, I had a Mallard Momma hatch out a white egg that someone (Namely Me) snuck into her nest before she started sitting. I wanted to see what she would get. Only one hatched out of the white eggs and three of her Mallard green eggs so it is not alone and they go everywhere in the pen together as a group. I only have the Black Swedish Call drake so I know he is the Daddy but still not sure who the Momma is. I was thinking my Muscovy which would make it a Hinnie duck and that is fine if it is. I already have a Mule so why not a Hinnie, lol. Thanks again for the info on the bill, I will look at it next to see if that helps.

Paying attention is not 100% accurate, but i identified drakes in ~60% of all cases. And it might be a different story with mallards or call ducks as they are smaller in size even as ducklings.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Yes the females are not that beautiful at all compared to the males.

Beauty is in the eye of the observer. Compared to the really dull Mallard Duck, the Peahens do have some brilliant colours and they also have these crown feathers, like the males.