Transgender duck??

[WallacetheKhakiCampbell]

Omg what is the name of the book, I need to get it!

Its just called "The Chicken Health Handbook" by Gail Damerow. About chickens obviously but applies to much more. Its got just about every single illness/diagnosis you could possibly imagine! Such a helpful book.

 

[AntiqueB]

Yes, and I still have this peahen/cock. She went from raising babies to having a male tail and coloring. Every year she has a longer train. Of course she can't lay eggs anymore.

Has she fathered any chick's?

I am learning a lot from this thread!

 

[All4Eggz]

I just read the entire read.

I am shocked at how rude people can act. This is supposed to be a friendly community...


My stance on this is that a duck cannot turn to the opposite gender. It can have characteristics of the opposite gender, but cannot be completely "transgender". No such things happen in nature.

 

[WallacetheKhakiCampbell]

There is "research" out there that says a drake looses it's penis each year and regrows a new one too.. but I have yet to find a duck dangle at the bottom of the swimming pool. Mine use their corkscrews year round.

Until I see duck that has proven female and laid eggs grow a corkscrew and become fertile, or a drake loose a corkscrew and start laying eggs I just cannot believe in the gender changing duck. Sorry.

Yeah I may be early to this conversation and its been settled but your definitely right. In chickens, it has been seen that the hen that turned into a rooster can produce viable sperm and father chicks. however waterfowls reproductive systems are far different and they actually have a penis. The hen has higher testosterone due to dysfunctional ovaries but she's still a hen. But I think people are saying she is officially a drake because they are thinking of chickens. Rooster's and hen's systems are not nearly as different as ducks and a drakes. (I didn't like target this for you just wanted to say my 2 cents)

 

[CMG]

P.S. You have used very offensive wording and i have reported your post to the moderation.

I write my posts carefully and never intentionally offend people.

 

[WallacetheKhakiCampbell]

I started reading, then started skipping...

You guys this isn't about humans or philosophical questions. A fellow duck-keeper had a duck that is suddenly appearing as a male. Transgender just seems fit at first glance for a title. The simple answer is yes, a hen can suddenly appear male due to an influx of testosterone. Why did everyone start handing out insults and arguing whether its right for humans to decide their sex. If y'all want to start a political and philosophical thread and argue you should try that.

 

[TJChickens]

Has she fathered any chick's?

I am learning a lot from this thread!

No. She is very old and her old mate still hangs out with her. She doesn't seem interested in the other hens.

 

[WelshHarlequin01]

Spontaneous sex change totally happens! There can be a few reasons. Is your duck pretty old? Sometimes when her ovaries stop working (old age, atrophy, infection), one turns into a ovary/testicle of sorts and the other dysfunctional one stops producing estrogen. The half testicle thing also produces testosterone which would lead to her molting into those feathers. It can also be from an infection of her ovaries which can be treated and at the next molt she will change back into a hen! Another cause could be a tumor that grows in her reproductive system that starts to produce testosterone. Sorry if this isn't very clear I just read about it in my book. A "fun" fact from the book: in the 13th century an hen, which appeared as a rooster due to this phenomenon, laid and egg and was burned at the stake for witchcraft! A chicken! Burned at the stake! CRAAZZYY

Ainsley was about 2 years old when they started their moult (growing male feathers etc), so I wouldn’t consider that particularly old! But I do not think they had any infections or tumours causing this, as they are perfectly healthy and happy! I do keep a close eye on them just in case anything else out of the ordinary happens, but they have developed beautiful colourings and seem very happy!
Wow! A chicken burned at the stake!? I’m very glad Ainsley wasn’t born in the 13th century!

 

[All4Eggz]

Ainsley was about 2 years old when they started their moult (growing male feathers etc), so I wouldn’t consider that particularly old! But I do not think they had any infections or tumours causing this, as they are perfectly healthy and happy! I do keep a close eye on them just in case anything else out of the ordinary happens, but they have developed beautiful colourings and seem very happy!
Wow! A chicken burned at the stake!? I’m very glad Ainsley wasn’t born in the 13th century!

Just curious, why do you refer to the duck as a "they"? She was born a female, and she is still a female. Whether she has male characteristics or not.

 

[WelshHarlequin01]

Just curious, why do you refer to the duck as a "they"? She was born a female, and she is still a female. Whether she has male characteristics or not.

Personally, I just prefer referring to Ainsley in that way. Yes, they were born female, but as they developed male characteristics and stopped laying, in my eyes I now don’t see them as a “female” duck, nor really “male”. It’s just “Ainsley” to me