What Age does the Male Mandarin begin to develop it's colorful look

[Bonnierae123]

I have three Mandarin ducklings that are 7 weeks old. I believe I have 2 females and 1 male.

The one male appears to be developing a red bill which has started from the corners of its mouth. I have watched this read slowly emerged past its nostrils.The other two that I believe are females show a more tan in color bill.

My question is;
They are 7 weeks old today - if I truly have a male, then at what week of age wood colored feathers begin to make an appearance

 

[outsageous]

Do you have any pictures of them?

 

[pntdhorses]

I have been raising a lone Mandarin that was the only one to survive out of 8 hatching eggs. Let me tell you, it takes forever for the colors to come in on a drake. Definitely the first sign is a more pinkish bill than gray. Also a drake will develop two stripes on each side of his breast at about 4 1/2 to 5 months old.

Mine was hatched in May and literally just started getting the colors in about 2 weeks ago. And once it starts, you will see a fast color transformation.

Maybe mine was a slow starter. I teetered back and forth for sometime on whether I had a male or female. I just got a little girlfriend for him a couple of weeks ago. It took them awhile to warm up to each other but then my guy was raised by one of my Banty chickens so he believes himself a chicken I think....LOL!

The 1st pic was of him just about 2 1/2 weeks ago. You can see on the 3rd pic where his “sails” have started to develop. The two brownish pinpoints on the back.