Oh Boy!!! calling all duck experts,lol

[bayouchica]

My mallards are just starting to get their adult feathers.

Please let me know if I'm correct that I have 4 drakes & 1 hen. The one circled may be a hen.

Here's a closer look at her (him)

Thanks so much, Miriam

 

[homecatmom]

Do male ducks do anything different than female ducks?

I know the OBVIOUS things..What I mean is like a roo crows and hens usually don't...like that.

Cathy

 

[bayouchica]

Yeah I read somewhere on here about their voices are different. I haven't been able to tell the difference yet...

 

[DrakeMaiden]

The females are louder, they can really belt it out. I think this will become more obvious when they are a little older.

My husband and I now look at their tail feathers for the earliest confirmation of sex. Males should have darker tail feather (more bluish hued brown) and the females have ones that are lined in a tan color.

The duck in question does look like a duck. It was hard to tell if all of the others were all drakes though.

 

[ml]

bayouchica very soon you will see the drakes shed the brown feathers for a off blue/gray. The ones right or left of the circle one are already starting. I thought had three hens till one changed colors sevarl times.

Have yet to see them mate and they were hatched out early May.

ML

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

i raise rouens .kin to mallards .i have found that the bills of the males are kind of green tinted and the hens are darker.from your pictures id say you have 4 drakes and one hen

 

[bayouchica]

The duck in question does look like a duck. It was hard to tell if all of the others were all drakes though.
Drakemaiden,
I may sound silly, but does "duck" mean female??? LOL, I gotta learn my duck lingo ya know. I'm planning on getting a bunch of duckies in the spring.

ml , they are almost 2 months old. You can't tell from the pics really but their breast feathers & wing feathers are turning gray colored.
I'm just sooo excited to find out what they are.

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it.

 

[Katy]

The ducks (females) quack and the males (drakes) do a "raspy" sound that's really pretty quiet.

The males will also get their "drake curl" feather on the top of their tail feathers.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Yes, bayouchica, "duck" is the same as "hen" for chickens. Hey, in the process of verifying that, I just found a site that tells what the technical terms are for referring to different animals based upon age and sex, etc. My husband and I were wondering what to call a group of ducks and decided "flock" was best, well here are several accepted names: badelynge, brace, bunch, flock, paddling, raft, team. (Info from this website ). I think "paddling" is cute.

I agree also about bill color. It might be harder to distinguish if you don't have any comparisons, but that is also something my husband and I noticed right away. That is actually why our first drake is named "Bilbo." He had the brightest bill. Oh and since we are on that topic, I use bill markings to distinguish individuals. It works well, except when they are on the move.

 

[bayouchica]

Thanks Katy, I haven't really heard them talking too much.They must do it when I'm not around,lol.
Drakemaiden, thanks so much for the link. BTW, I just love your siggy quote.