HELP! I assisted a duckling before internal pipping!

[NatJ]

it looks like sticks popping out to the back.

That is how feathers look when they first start to grow. They will get longer, and start to have normal feather-looking ends over the next few days.

 

[Hamudazahabi]

That is how feathers look when they first start to grow. They will get longer, and start to have normal feather-looking ends over the next few days.

That kind of already happened in one night! I attached the pictures of the ducklings. They've probably doubled in size since I bought them. The chicks have their sizes more than doubled already. I will post the chicken pictures with a question about them next. But for the ducklings, I think it became clear they're getting new white feathers. For some reason, they have a habit of trying to eat my foot and toes.

 

[Hamudazahabi]

That kind of already happened in one night! I attached the pictures of the ducklings. They've probably doubled in size since I bought them. The chicks have their sizes more than doubled already. I will post the chicken pictures with a question about them next. But for the ducklings, I think it became clear they're getting new white feathers. For some reason, they have a habit of trying to eat my foot and toes.

So I woke up this morning and saw something weird. One of my chicks jow has a red comb! Does that indicate it's a rooster? Not quite sure. I could have sworn it was yellow yesterday, and it's red today! The other one still has a yellow comb, and it's much smaller. Also, for some reason, the ducks always try to eat anything they see, including the chicks. They don't live together, but sometimes they're all free and I am watching them. Suddenly, a chick walks next to a duck, and then the duck immediately tries to catch its feather, sometimes actually catching it. Now they learned to fly away quickly anf not to come near the ducklings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very normal with the ducks trying to grab hold of a chick or chicken my chickens learn early on to avoid grabbing range. I have a Speckled Sussex hen who thinks it is fun to intimidate the Runner ducks she can jump at them and they take off. lol How old are your chicks now? usually by 3 weeks I can tell which will be cockerel because their combs start getting reddish The pullets will still have no color on their combs.

Your ducklings are growing in their feathers and they are so cute . Chewing toes is typical of ducklings.

 

[Hamudazahabi]

How old are your chicks now?

It's 3 weeks old now.

usually by 3 weeks I can tell which will be cockerel because their combs start getting reddish The pullets will still have no color on their combs.

So basically the one with red comb now is surely a rooster? When will the comb of the other one become red?

Your ducklings are growing in their feathers and they are so cute . Chewing toes is typical of ducklings.

Yeah. Will it hurt when they grow up? Will they stop doing that? Right now it doesn't hurt. It seems like they do that as a greeting or something, because they usually do it when I give them food or water or let them out, also they look at me right before doing it and don't seem angry or annoyed.

They are so cute. Can't wait to get more...

 

[NatJ]

It's 3 weeks old now.

So basically the one with red comb now is surely a rooster?

Pretty sure.

When will the comb of the other one become red?

If the other one is female, the comb will probably stay pale for another 3 months or longer, then turn red when she is almost ready to lay eggs.

If the other one is male, the comb will probably get red within the next few weeks. It is common for male chicks to become obvious at slightly different ages, but all of them much younger than females.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It's 3 weeks old now.

So basically the one with red comb now is surely a rooster? When will the comb of the other one become red?

Yeah. Will it hurt when they grow up? Will they stop doing that? Right now it doesn't hurt. It seems like they do that as a greeting or something, because they usually do it when I give them food or water or let them out, also they look at me right before doing it and don't seem angry or annoyed.

They are so cute. Can't wait to get more...

The only time chewing toes hurt was when my Muscovy drake began maturing he loved to chew on my feet legs arms anything. But I stopped wearing open-toe shoes and that saved my feet. Ducklings aren't being mean they just use their mouths to try everything where we use our hands.

 

[Hamudazahabi]

Pretty sure.


If the other one is female, the comb will probably stay pale for another 3 months or longer, then turn red when she is almost ready to lay eggs.

Oh. That's a big difference in time! I just remembered that I waited for my chicken to get a red comb to start laying eggs, but I never expected that the rooster gets it that early.

If the other one is male, the comb will probably get red within the next few weeks. It is common for male chicks to become obvious at slightly different ages, but all of them much younger than females.

Thank you for your help.

The only time chewing toes hurt was when my Muscovy drake began maturing he loved to chew on my feet legs arms anything. But I stopped wearing open-toe shoes and that saved my feet. Ducklings aren't being mean they just use their mouths to try everything where we use our hands.

Yeah, I realized that. Last time one of my kittens came and sniffed the duckling, so the duckling tried to eat its ear and chewed on it. The kitten ran away and I think it will never dare come near my ducks anymore. It probably was like "These creatures are evil!"

I think that just like cats like to sniff every single thing they see, ducks like to chew them...

Thank you very much for your help as well. I hope the other one is female and not another rooster...

 

[Hamudazahabi]

Oh. That's a big difference in time! I just remembered that I waited for my chicken to get a red comb to start laying eggs, but I never expected that the rooster gets it that early.

Thank you for your help.


Yeah, I realized that. Last time one of my kittens came and sniffed the duckling, so the duckling tried to eat its ear and chewed on it. The kittenh ran away and I think it will never dare come near my ducks anymore. It probably was like "These creatures are evil!"

I think that just like cats like to sniff every single thing they see, ducks like to chew them...

Thank you very much for your help as well. I hope the other one is female and not another rooster...

Update:
There is now some red around the head and bill of the muscovy ducklings. All three got some, so I don't know if that will help me know which are males and which are females. I think they're around 4 weeks old now, maybe a bit more or a bit less. I attached three photos, each of a different duckling, and a video, which ended up with the cute ducklings trying to eat my camera .

I still can't even guess which is male and which is female. They all just look very similar in size.

 

[Hamudazahabi]

Update:
There is now some red around the head and bill of the muscovy ducklings. All three got some, so I don't know if that will help me know which are males and which are females. I think they're around 4 weeks old now, maybe a bit more or a bit less. I attached three photos, each of a different duckling, and a video, which ended up with the cute ducklings trying to eat my camera .

I still can't even guess which is male and which is female. They all just look very similar in size.

The video I attached did not get attached for some reason. I will try again here.