How to identify male Khakis?

[jaycee]

Hello all, My "girls" are 25 weeks old. There are 8 of them all Khaki Campbells. They started laying in mid October and the number of eggs gradually increased over a couple of weeks until I was getting 6 eggs. Now for at least 2 weeks straight I get exactly 6 eggs per day never 5 never 7. This makes me believe that the same 6 girls are laying. Also in a couple of the eggs there was a very small blood spot when we ate it. We ate it anyway and its just fine scrambled or fried or however. But I'm wondering... does that small spot mean that perhaps the eggs have been fertilized and my 2 free loaders are males? We bought "sexed" ducklings from Metzger Farms in California in June, but I know that the sexing process isnt 100% accurate. Or is the little spot normal and perhaps some just take a month or more longer to start laying? Are there any ways to tell female from male Khaki Campbell ducks apart when they are mature as they all look nearly identical to me?

Thanks for your help!
Jaycee

 

[m.kitchengirl]

The males will get a few curly feathers on their tail and their quack will sound more like a pig or frog "Huaa, Huaa" than "Quack, Quack".
Pick up the suspects and walk them away from your other ducks one at a time. If they start with big, loud quacks, they are just slower to lay.

 

[jdywntr]

I don't think the spot means they are fertile. My chickens sometimes lay an egg with a similar spot and I have no roosters so its just there.

By now, they "should" have their drake feather if they are male. Do they all look the same? The males will have different coloring.

Egg laying depends on the amount of light. At this time of year, unless you are providing additional lighting they may not all be laying every day.

Do you have any pics? Also, like the other post said you can sex by voice, there is an obvious difference in their sounds.

 

[Kevin565]

Voice Sexing :

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

 

[JulieNKC]

Quote:
x2
My khaki girl didn't start laying until around 30 weeks, you could just have a few late bloomers.

 

[jaycee]

Thanks guys! I'm going to look for these signs, I havent noticed the different call nor curly tail feathers but Im going to check more closely. Ill see if I can take some pics today with my wifes digital camera. My wife already said well if there are males you'll have to make an incubator to raise some lol! Im hoping for 8 eggs... 6 is plenty for our purposes but Id rather not mess with the incubating business haha!

 

[newbyduckmom]

My Khaki drake's tail feathers.

Khaki drake coloring (two in back). Front is my magpie.

Khaki hens.

 

[jaycee]

Whoa newbyduckmom the coloring on the drakes is much darker on the head and tail feathers than the hens... is that the norm? If so then mine are definately all hens!

 

[nivtup]

Yes the drakes will have darker heads, also they have a more even coloration on the breast and sides.

I would bet all females, you would easily be able to see the drakes.



Enjoy..........

 

[zzGypsy]

on coloring: my drakes aren't as strongly colored as newbyduckmom's, they're a more uniform brown over the body and tail, but they have a distinctly darker head. my hens are a bit paler in color than newbyduckmom's so it looks like the line mine come from is simply lighter overall. but even then you should be able to see drake curls and the darker head.