Welsh Harlequin - do I have a pair rather than 2 ducks?

[Wynette]

I was going to post this in the "what breed or gender do I have?" section, but I didn't see any duck inquiries. Sigh.

Anywho. I've been watching my ducklings mature, and I am seriously wondering if I got a pair rather than two ducklings. I purchased sexed ducklings on purpose. But, I know mistakes can be made. And of course, Murphy lives with us, so there's THAT.

What are your thoughts? Here are a few very recent pics (actually, from this morning!) - two Welshies on the far left - see one with BRIGHT YELLOW bill with black bean - from all the pics I have seen online, I'm only seeing females with dark bills - oh, I should say they are 5 weeks old:





Their bodies appear to have the same feathering coming in, same color, etc., so maybe I just have an unusual duckling? We named her Cookie....I hope that will stand!

I sent the pics to Metzer Farms this morning, and was told to wait until they are 12-14 weeks and take more pics to send them.

 

[Kevin565]

Sorry but I think you have a pair. At this point you should be able to hear different calls from the different sexes.

 

[Wynette]

Sorry but I think you have a pair. At this point you should be able to hear different calls from the different sexes.

Well, crud. Thanks, Kevin. I haven't much focused on who is making which noises - they quack when they are upset, it seems, and still peep when not. I guess I need to pay more attention to who is making what noises, but I haven't heard anything that sounds a whole lot different from a regular (juvenile) quack. Maybe I'll go to YouTube to familiarize myself with male & female quacking!

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are so pretty, just think of all the lil quackers you can have now if it does turn out to be a pair.

 

[Kevin565]

I used this site to learn the sounds: http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/artquacks.htm

I hope for some reason the duckling ends up being a girl but I have to agree with you, I've never seen a female Welshie with that yellow of a beak.

 

[Wynette]

K, found this video:

Clearly, although it's in a language foreign to me, the first is a male, the second, a female - the 3rd I think is a 4-week old male, and then a 4-week old females. The 3rd & 4th sound almost exactly the same to me, and mine are just one week older than this, so it might be difficult for me to ascertain just yet, going just by sound.

ETA - Kevin, we were posting at the same time - I'll go check your link - thanks!

 

[Kevin565]

K, found this video:

Clearly, although it's in a language foreign to me, the first is a male, the second, a female - the 3rd I think is a 4-week old male, and then a 4-week old females. The 3rd & 4th sound almost exactly the same to me, and mine are just one week older than this, so it might be difficult for me to ascertain just yet, going just by sound.

ETA - Kevin, we were posting at the same time - I'll go check your link - thanks!

You nailed them all! In a few weeks the difference becomes much easier to hear in the ducklings. The male stays rather peepish and the females voice becomes higher in pitch and much louder

 

[Wynette]

They are so pretty, just think of all the lil quackers you can have now if it does turn out to be a pair.

Sigh..................you little enabler, you!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sigh..................you little enabler, you!

I have an idea, don't say anything to dh then one morning when ducklings hatch tell him then that you suspect you may have a pair.

 

[Wynette]

You nailed them all! In a few weeks the difference becomes much easier to hear in the ducklings. The male stays rather peepish and the females voice becomes higher in pitch and much louder

Okay, good to know! Thanks for the reply, and I'll definitely LISTEN as well as look now!