When will I know?

[BickeringToast]

So our 4-pack have been living in their outdoor area for 1 week. Right now they have a temp 'house' and kiddie pool. Their perm house and pond are close to being done.

Anyway they are 6 weeks old and I am beginning to suspect I have ALL drakes! Niles started his quack nearly 2 weeks ago. It sounded a little raspy but because you could barely hear him I figured it was too soon to tell. Well all 4 now make the same sound and it is a hoarse/raspy squeaking! It is so quiet though! Even when all 4 of them are trying to talk me into more peas, you wouldn't even hear them over 10 feet away.

Am I expecting a quack too soon? Should I be able to tell for sure at this age? Like I said they are all right at 6 weeks (maybe a day or two over) and I have 1 Khaki Campbell, 1 Cayuaga, 1 Welsh Harlequin, and 1 brown Runner.

If it turns out they are all males, is an all-drake flock of 4 doable?

Thanks Everyone!

 

[Miss Lydia]

So our 4-pack have been living in their outdoor area for 1 week. Right now they have a temp 'house' and kiddie pool. Their perm house and pond are close to being done.

Anyway they are 6 weeks old and I am beginning to suspect I have ALL drakes! Niles started his quack nearly 2 weeks ago. It sounded a little raspy but because you could barely hear him I figured it was too soon to tell. Well all 4 now make the same sound and it is a hoarse/raspy squeaking! It is so quiet though! Even when all 4 of them are trying to talk me into more peas, you wouldn't even hear them over 10 feet away.

Am I expecting a quack too soon? Should I be able to tell for sure at this age? Like I said they are all right at 6 weeks (maybe a day or two over) and I have 1 Khaki Campbell, 1 Cayuaga, 1 Welsh Harlequin, and 1 brown Runner.

If it turns out they are all males, is an all-drake flock of 4 doable?

Thanks Everyone!

Wow that would be something, but yes a four pack of drakes will be fine as long as there are no females around.

 

[BickeringToast]

Wow that would be something, but yes a four pack of drakes will be fine as long as there are no females around.

I have tried to bribe them into quacking but so far no luck.

Although Daphne (who I have said "you're a beautiful girl" to at least 3 times a day haha) whistles back at me when I whistle for one of the dogs!

 

[cymbaline]

I attempted to vent sex TSC babies to get 3 girls about 6 weeks ago. One of my girls started quacking just before 4 weeks. Another started right around 5 weeks. I believe the third baby was just a very "shy" little boy,

, lol, because he still isn't quacking but isn't really peeping anymore either. Some places I've read say it's not definite until 8-10 weeks, so I'm going to hold out a little hope until then, haha.

I've never heard anyone say for sure, but my personal belief is that most stores don't get straight run, they get whatever is leftover (mostly males), because before this, 4 randomly picked ducks from 2 different stores gave me all males. I still have two boys, and they get along quite well.

 

[missnu01]

I got 5 straight run Buff Orpingtons and only one is a definite male, and one might be...
I also bought 4 Pekin Ducks straight run and got 3 females and a male...so not doing too terrible. I got them all at TSC

 

[BickeringToast]

I got 5 straight run Buff Orpingtons and only one is a definite male, and one might be...
I also bought 4 Pekin Ducks straight run and got 3 females and a male...so not doing too terrible. I got them all at TSC

The 4-pack are also TSC graduates. I am not a duck-egg person so all drakes is fine with me. I'm just wondering if that VERY quiet raspy squeak going on now at 6 weeks is the real thing. I know drakes are not usually as loud as quacking ducks, but are they really THIS quiet?!?! It is barely above a whisper! Except when Daphne whistles......that is extremely loud!

 

[BickeringToast]

I just listened to the male/female on this link and the raspy sounding 4-pack is not even HALF this loud when they are all quacking at the same time!

http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/artquacks.htm