When can I tell drake from hen?

[Moochie]

My crested ducks are young, about 5 weeks old. They are fully feathered and I'm wondering when I should be able to tell their genders.. There is no curl on neither of their tails, but would it show up by now? Just making sure because I just got a rouen drake today and I don't want any troubles when the crested ducks get older.
As for the pitch of the quack, the smaller one sounds more quacky and the larger one still has a higher cheepy voice. Neither don't sound like the drake, who has a deep quacky voice.

 

[Ms~Silkie~Girl]

It will be a while before their tails curl, maybe a few months, im not exactly sure though

 

[desertdarlene]

It's still a little young. They won't get the curl until they start to get their adult plumage. But, at around 6 or 7 weeks old, you'll notice the voice change. Females will get VERY loud if they get separated from their mom or brood mates at this age. You will notice females quacking before the males get their raspy voice.

 

[Totes Quackers]

I only have 1 duck and he is my first quacker, a khaki campbell. He was for sure a girl until around 3 1/2 months old when all of sudden his head started turning green, followed shortly by the raspy quack and then around 4-4 1/2 months he got his curl in his tail! I'm not sure if all breeds follow a general pattern with this but that's how it went with my handsome boy!

 

[Moochie]

Darnit. Can anyone post a link to a video so I can hear the differences?

 

[onthespot]

do any have noticeably wider bills and feet? If they are heavier bodied, they MIGHT be boys.

 

[Moochie]

Quote:
The rancher who sold us the crested told us muscovies have thicker legs.. Ugh, the rouens we're getting.. The lady who is selling them to us said that we won't be able to tell the sex until the tails curl or when breeding season comes to. They're 4 months old, would the curl be there yet?

 

[Rosebud 18]

My 3 1/2 month old welsh harlequin has his curl but my swedish and runners don't have theirs as yet. So I guess it would depend on the breed as to when they get the curl in tail feathers.

 

[GrannyCarol]

At four months old a duck will "Quack!" if you pick her up and thus annoy her for a minute. A drake makes a much different sound, the raspy "wheep wheep" noise. They may or may not show the drake feathers depending on molt, but a drake will likely have them at 4 months - at 3 months they start to molt into adult plumage. I find I can tell ducks and drakes apart by voice as early as 4 weeks, if we catch them and listen carefully. By 5 - 6 weeks, its very easy to tell by voice. At 11 weeks, my boys are starting to have the pretty male colors, depending on the breed and color a drake will have a bright green head (Rouens would be included in this pattern) and the hens will have brown stripey heads. A drake will have a red chest, a hen will be brown and stripey.

This is one of my favorite sites with a lot of pictures (Rouen page):

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Ducks/Rouens/BRKRouens.html

That ought to help.

 

[hcppam]

trying typing in YouTube sexing ducks in you search engine I'm sure there is something there.