Buff Drake?

[WeFoChooks]

I've just entered the world of duck keeping and have welcomed this pair from a small suburban courtyard to our farm. The people had them as pets and sold them as '2 purebred Buff Orpington ducks.'

I was planning to get a buff orpington drake to add to the family but, after letting them loose on them farm, I'm fairly certain I have a drake and a duck, not 2 ducks.

I haven't seen him do any male types of behaviour with the female yet though.

Can anyone help? If this is a drake, he doesn't seem to have the striking Buff Orpington features, like a clear neck line and yellow bill but there is a curled tail further which tipped me off.

Thoughts? Do I have a boy and a girl?

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

The drake is the one on the left of the picture, he has a curled tail feather. By saying that they both look like drakes to me. They definitely both drakes and they don’t seem to pure.

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

What do their voices sound like? Anything like a females?

 

[WeFoChooks]

Hmm I think you're right. Now that I've listened to the difference online between duck and drake quacking, these two both sound like drakes.

If that's the case, how many ducks do I need to introduce to keep them both happy? Would 4 ducks be enough?

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

Yes that should be enough ducks. But you will just have to be careful as drakes tend to have a favorite duck and they will both mount her more often.

 

[WeFoChooks]

Yes that should be enough ducks. But you will just have to be careful as drakes tend to have a favorite duck and they will both mount her more often.

Okay great. Thanks

 

[MagpieDucks]

Your best option is to rehome the less aggressive drake, and get some females for the other one. Otherwise, be prepared to separate one of them almost 24/7 during
breeding season. If that is not possible, go out and get about 14 more hens.

 

[pvaldes]

Both show curled tail feathers, exclusive of males. Two drakes.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think they are Pure Buffs just haven't gotten the darker head yet and funny but some Buffs are lighter in color than others, My 2 females are pure and they are much lighter than some pics I have seen. So as they mature into breeding age you'll really get to see those gorgeous heads and colors. Google Buffs and look at the difference in colors from light Buff to dark.

As for females they need at least 3 each. and then there may fighting among the boys, Testosterone is such a driving force among these ducks even the closest of brothers will end up fighting for females.

They are gorgeous I love my 2 Buff girls

 

[WeFoChooks]

I think they are Pure Buffs just haven't gotten the darker head yet and funny but some Buffs are lighter in color than others, My 2 females are pure and they are much lighter than some pics I have seen. So as they mature into breeding age you'll really get to see those gorgeous heads and colors. Google Buffs and look at the difference in colors from light Buff to dark.

As for females they need at least 3 each. and then there may fighting among the boys, Testosterone is such a driving force among these ducks even the closest of brothers will end up fighting for females.

They are gorgeous I love my 2 Buff girls

Thanks - I'm not really sure. The guy I got them from doesn't seem to know anything about ducks either so he is going to get in touch with the farmer he got them from.

I might keep the one with the darker head - he looks more look the buff orpington drakes on google images. I'll try to find a new home to the lighter one and then introduce some ladies.

I'd like to get buff orpingtons but they seem to be very scarce and difficult to find around Victoria (the state I live in in Australia) so I might just have to settle for different breeds.

I'm hoping to get some girls who will go broody to raise some ducklings.