Washingtonians

[ReikiStar]

With very young ducklings, you can vent check just after hatching by dilating the vent: females have a larger, cone-shape organ, makes have a narrower, but longer organ that may take several seconds to appear when dilating the vent. Past a few days, however, it gets (ironically) more difficult.

We generally sex ducks with a combination of judging the quack (males have a hoarser quack, sounds like they have a horrible respiratory infection) which happens around 1 month of age and looking for the drake feather (appears around 2 months, may take longer in larger breeds), which curls upward. The quack is VERY distinctive and always accurate, so if you can hold out until 1 month, you're good to go in sexing.

If you want to post some videos, since you only have the two ducklings, I'm sure we could help with those quacks!

Thanks, TrystInn. Good to know they need to be at least a month for the quacking difference to be noticeable.

 

[TrystInn]

No quackin yet, just sweet little peeps! They seem pretty attached to eachother and the only way it would matter is if I had 2 drakes and no hen (is that a problem?! I assumed that could be problematic. I won't be upset if I don't get eggs, just as long as they eat slugs! hahahaha) so thats why I'm getting antsy about sexing them before they get their feathers/quacks. One is a rouen, so that should be easy. If there's 2 boys, I would want to trade one sooner rather than later so the one I keep and the new one could bond from a younger age. Seems like it'd just be easier on everybody, if I'm destined not to keep one of them to get it over with quick, so everyone can get comfy in their forever home as young as possible, right? I was worried that if I waited too long to introduce a new duck, they might not be as bonded? Or maybe not.. I guess its only a couple more weeks before I should be expecting some quackin. Maybe I need to just chill and be patient

2 drakes will be a problem without a large enough area and females to distract them. While there are very anecdotal rare instances where two drakes have bonded and get along beautifully, they are very RARE circumstances. Don't bet on that happening.

Generally speaking, as long as you get more Rouens (or whomever you end up keeping) they will bond tremendously well. Birds of a feather and all that. Obviously, if there's only a few ducks they will bond together as a flock, but I've found that ducks of the same coloration (not necessarily the same breed) will be particularly close. Don't be in such a hurry, they won't really know the difference between a newcomer now and a newcomer in two months. Same with rehoming. Be patient. 2 months old is still pretty young as ducks go!

 

[LovemyBabies]

Anyone have Iowa Blues or had?.... I've been trying to find info on them, which of course isn't much... tried contacting someone here to see if they can answer my question... but no response....my question is...

How big do Iowa's get?.. So far ours is seriously Godzilla compared to all the other birds... we got them all the same day - which was the day that they arrived at the feed store... So there's no age difference, just "Size".... and is it normal....?

 

[Totalcolour]

Quote:

Well, we have different breeds of ducks, and we had two especially close drakes (Welsh Harlequins) that stuck together like the proverbial glue. We also have two Muscovies that are close (we got rid of the others that were quarrelsome). So I do think that males can get along.

We have had fawn runner males that were close as well. All of the ducks in question were raised together so I think that has something to do with their closeness. The ONLY times we have had problems is during breeding season, and there are the inevitable fights that end quickly. Othrwise, they get along well. So I don't think it's a rare or anecdotal thing - we experience harmony with different breeds and have for several years.

 

[lilstar]

2 drakes will be a problem without a large enough area and females to distract them. While there are very anecdotal rare instances where two drakes have bonded and get along beautifully, they are very RARE circumstances. Don't bet on that happening.

Generally speaking, as long as you get more Rouens (or whomever you end up keeping) they will bond tremendously well. Birds of a feather and all that. Obviously, if there's only a few ducks they will bond together as a flock, but I've found that ducks of the same coloration (not necessarily the same breed) will be particularly close. Don't be in such a hurry, they won't really know the difference between a newcomer now and a newcomer in two months. Same with rehoming. Be patient. 2 months old is still pretty young as ducks go!

Interesting! I have one rouen that I got off craigslist (the one that got stepped on was a Rouen too that was seriously devastating.. I was being SO SO SO careful, nothing short of psychic powers could have prevented it) the other is a mutt. Gorgeous little baby! Won 2nd place in the easter hatch-a-long cutest chick contest, if I can brag Here's the thread with a pic https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...the-cutest-chick-picture-mahonri-easter-hatch Mostly dark with some yellow, and yellow wing tips you can't see in the pic. Thats the one I'm keeping no matter what. s/he spent much of the first day down my shirt for warmth, since I had a broken incubator, an incomplete hatch (4 chicks hatched the next 2 days) and only one heat lamp. I had to put it over the incubator so had no heat for the brooder! I got the hatching eggs from a neighbor and they say their drake is a cayuga. I think the hens might be magpies. I'm hoping its unnecessary and I can just keep my two. Thats most convenient. We've got a nice thing going. I'm not just the big scary giant human, I bring fresh water every day, and food, and my hands contain PEAS! So they like me A newb duck would screw it all up.

 

[lilstar]

I will wear some kind of distinctive hat. Possibly the big purple one.

I'll have a purple shirt on, and a 5mo baby boy strapped to my back. I'll have a stroller with a 3yo boy and a 5yo girl. the 3yo will probably be attempting to be as disruptive as possible I'll keep an eye out for the hat. If anyone spots me before I spot a hat, tell me who you are!

 

[KMoran]

Does anyone have Barred Rocks? I think one of my 7 barred rock cockerels may in fact be a pullet but I am not sure.... The first pic is the one in question. The Second pic he/she is the closest one on the end and the last one is a Roo who is tryin to mount my hens and crow....

 

[Zgoatlady]

OH my gosh bottle one two days and you all took off like weeds on here.
Welcome to all the new people.

Life around here is crazy, my son is in the Hospital again in Lacey so Im making the nightly trips again. I stayed home tonight he told me to take it off. I'm glad because today has been a rotten day I tell ya. From home to work, my boss can be a you know what when he wants too. If I was a drinking person Id have the whole bottle down by now..

So on the bright side, I have 8 chicks hatch yesterday from Orpingtons to BCM, today I have a hatch going on of English Orpingtons, eggs came from the west cost so we will see if they will be as nice as RisingStars chicks.. Than next week I have a hatch of sizzle and a few Cream Legbar eggs ( hope I get a pair) Oh ya than will have some Ameracuan hatching and some BCMs a few days past that hatch.
I don't have a clue what I'm going to do with all the chicks, I know I really need to grow them out before sending them to new homes, but I'm not sure I'm going to have room for like 60 plus chicks. I don't even want to see my husbands face when he really see's all of them..
This weekend I'm starting the little coops going to try for 3 put will be happy with 2 to start with.
Well now I'm going to see if I can read and see how everyone is doing..

 

[Zgoatlady]

Thanks everyone. We are home now. I didnt realize just how exhausted I am until we got home. I still have yet to upload pictures from my camera, but once we get settled and rested I will post some. Chloe is being very good, tiptoeing around to not wake Emily. Its really cute. Im very sore where the epidural was placed, and have a good sized bruise from it. Everyone here is doing well so far, my DH is being a huge help. I will fill you all in more once Im rested better. But for now one pic to hold you over.

OH so cute and sweet. Glad its over for you now all the fun ahead of you..

 

[KMHunter]

So I just got back from putting my favorite hen down. My Golden Sexlink "Lucy" was always my little buddy. She had massive tumors in her abdomen and there was nothing we could do for her. She was suffering so I took her to Dr. Bruce and had them put her to sleep. I just couldn't do it myself. So that's the last of my original three. I am going to bury her next to my BR, her "sister".

Congrsts on the hatch Z! Sound like you will be over run!

How many Sizzles do you thing you will have?