8 week old Mallard - hen or drake???

[ElizH]

Little mallard (Rouen?) is 8 weeks old and I have no idea what he/she is! (Or the runner duck also pictured, tbh) They were getting beaten up by some chicks at the feed store so my soft hearted hubby brought them home. The sign just said “ducks” so we aren’t sure what they are or if they were sexed/straight run…. I’d like to know out of curiosity sake. We have 5 other adult ducks, but all are female so I’m not worried that one may be a drake. Just curious! I tried voice sexing, but I can’t really tell over the sound of all the ducks excitedly demanding snacks, the roosters, and goats. It’s just too noisy to tell who is making what sounds.

 

[fatty and friends]

rouen is definitely a hen, i would say drake for the runner but i’m not sure

 

[ColtHandorf]

At eight weeks it's a bit too early to tell. Male Mallards will feather out like a hen until they get the ring and green head and the silvery body, but I would say it's very clean so probably a hen.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Little mallard (Rouen?) is 8 weeks old and I have no idea what he/she is! (Or the runner duck also pictured, tbh) They were getting beaten up by some chicks at the feed store so my soft hearted hubby brought them home. The sign just said “ducks” so we aren’t sure what they are or if they were sexed/straight run…. I’d like to know out of curiosity sake. We have 5 other adult ducks, but all are female so I’m not worried that one may be a drake. Just curious! I tried voice sexing, but I can’t really tell over the sound of all the ducks excitedly demanding snacks, the roosters, and goats. It’s just too noisy to tell who is making what sounds.
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Are either raspy/hoarse with their peeps or any loud clear quacks yet? I lean towards hen for both. I've had both fawn and white runner male/females,male/female mallards and male/female rouens. By this stage a Rouen would be double the body size/weight of the runner, your duck has only 1 eye stripe and the conformation is wrong for a even a hatchery quality rouen. Hatchery quality rouens stand much more upright compared to mallards who stand more like calls with their chest more parallel to the ground. My guess female for both because of overall size and lack of stockiness. Also a male mallards bill would be orange at this point and they often turn greenish in hue while yours is pink/grey in hue with the grey/black spot on top seen in hens.

 

[fatty and friends]

At eight weeks it's a bit too early to tell. Male Mallards will feather out like a hen until they get the ring and green head and the silvery body, but I would say it's very clean so probably a hen.

rouen is 100% a hen

 

[ColtHandorf]

rouen is 100% a hen

I don't believe it's a Rouen with only one eye stripe.

 

[fatty and friends]

I don't believe it's a Rouen with only one eye stripe.

your right, mallard* but still definitely a hen.

 

[GranderTheGander]

Mallard is definitely a girl.

 

[Compostflower]

Congrats on the new children mallard is for sure hen and she’s a beauty.

 

[ElizH]

Congrats on the new children mallard is for sure hen and she’s a beauty.

Thank you!