Welsh Harlequins - I'm confused?

[ElsieTX]

So I thought I had 2 or 3 males and 3 females, but now I'm not sure. I have three definite quackers and one of them was one I thought might be male! No drake feathers yet - I acquired the group in early June. I also see Harlequin pics where the males have an olive or yellow bill..mine are all black. Surely I don't have all females?! I also read they may be close to molting their teen fathers and may be somewhat different afterwards...What does it look like to you?

 

[chickens really]

Catch them one by one and walk away with it....Hens will QUACK their pretty heads off!.....I just sexed a Rouen I received that way yesterday....It works ...I do it to all Ducks I'm unsure of.....Also she is a Hen.......

 

[lomine]

How old are they?

 

[chickens really]

How old are they?

Look pretty big too me ...Quack!

 

[lomine]

Look pretty big too me ...Quack!

It isn't about size. It matters if they have gone through their juvenile molt or not. None of them look male but if they haven't gotten their adult feathers in yet it could change.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I don't know if this will help but with Khaki Campbells you can tell by the color and shading of the feathers right before the tail. Lighter, two-toned, feathers means a girl and darker solid feathers means a boy. I was told that all "lace" ducks do this. I am not certain though if it works with Welsh Harlequins.
If it does, then I would say that in your first picture, all the ones whose feathers I can see look like girls. However, in your bottom picture, the duck on the far right looks like it has solid above tail feathers. Soon, the boys will start to grow in their darker head feathers. That will tell you as well.

 

[chickens really]

It isn't about size. It matters if they have gone through their juvenile molt or not. None of them look male but if they haven't gotten their adult feathers in yet it could change.

Generally at around 4 months old Ducks go through a juvenile molt and will get their Drake feathers on their tail..By 5 to 8 weeks Ducklings voices change and if a Hen they QUACK....

 

[lomine]

OP stated the group was acquired in early June. If they they were acquired as day olds that would make them a little over 2 months, which would mean they hadn't gone through their juvenile molt. If they were acquired at any age over 2 months that would make them over 4 months, which would mean they should have gone through the molt and have their adult feathers. The males would have green heads and drake curls. That is exactly why I asked how old they were. A 2 month-old male can look a lot like a 6 month-old female so it's important to know the age.

Not all females will quack even if you pick them up and it's hard to tell sometimes if they are in a group. Not all birds follow the coloring, like bill color, called for in the breed standard. So you can't always go by those things either.

 

[chickens really]

Yes....Your very correct in your findings...
As a general rule with time lines things as they mature fall into place...

 

[ElsieTX]

Thank you all for your responses! They are approximately 2 months and 3 weeks old. I'll be patient!