Is this guy a juvenile drake ?

[Apolinne]

Hello friends,
What do you think, is this guy, perchance, a juvenile mallard coloured runner boi? I was really hoping for one. He recently got these dark feathers coming in around his beak, which I'm hoping is the nuptial feathers. Do runners change their nuptial feathers every year ? He's 7 weeks old, no quack or rasp yet, just baby beeps, but it's the biggest and tallest duck I have.
I might have 4 drakes to 4 ducks so I'm going to have to make some decisions soon.
Thank you!

 

[KathiQuacks]

Yep, that’s a drake right there! He looks more Welsh Harlequin-like, in my opinion, not quite Mallard. Certainly has a Runner stance, though.

Ducks go through their first molt after they’re fully feathered, which is what’s happening here.
From then on, they’ll molt twice a year - once into eclipse, and once back into nuptial.

 

[Apolinne]

I knew it! aaaw Thank you. And if he is welsh harlequin boi, than this guy is also a boi and welsh harequin ? Or would this one be apricot ? The last pic is the two of them next to eachother.

 

[Apolinne]

Ok but Lady is a lady, isn't she? She is a malard coloured girl, right? My husband is telling me she's a gentleman because she's bigger and chonkier than the quacking duckies. Please tell me she's a lady.