urgent help needed sexing my buff ducks!!

[raynesducks]

i need some help. this is my second time owning ducks but i’m trying a new breed. i have 10 buff orpington ducks, all 6.5 weeks old. 10 is far too many for me to keep as adults, but my local supply store only sold them in groups of 10. i have the space to keep them as ducklings but now that they’re bigger i feel it’s unfair to keep so many of them in a space meant for half of the flock. (im aware they need certain square footage per duck)

anyways! one of my friends that has two ducks would like to buy some off me, but i want to give her and anyone else the majority of drakes in my flock since i don’t plan on breeding, simply getting eggs. ideally id like as many eggs as possible to feed a family of 5 so we can stop buying chicken eggs. so im hoping that the larger majority of my flock are female and to keep a drake or two.

i know that voice sexing is the best way to tell, but has anyone found that beak/head color has led them to accurate results? i need help telling because i need to figure out so i can sell half before i move them into their run and coop.

i will attach some pictures of them. any advice is so helpful!!!

 

[cavemanrich]

I cant help you sexing your ducks. but have an opinion none the less.
If you would be pushing/selling drakes to your friend, What purpose would they have them for???
If for grow out and table service, then it would be fine.
Reason I mention this. Drakes can become troublesome to chicken hens (when adult)

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[raynesducks]

I cant help you sexing your ducks. but have an opinion none the less.
If you would be pushing/selling drakes to your friend, What purpose would they have them for???
If for grow out and table service, then it would be fine.
Reason I mention this. Drakes can become troublesome to chicken hens (when adult)

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

i’m actually not sure, i don’t think she really cares for eggs out of them. just more so as pets. and i know she has a couple other ducks, though im not sure their sex.

 

[Canadian Wind]

The males will eventually develop a darker head, but at this age it's not possible to tell. Try picking them up one at a time and walking away with it. Females will quack. Not 100% yet though. They need to be a bit older.

I would also be concerned about selling all the drakes to your friend. Too many drakes = trouble most of the time. If you value your friendship, don't just sell drakes together, or worse, more drakes than ducks!

!

 

[ruthhope]

I think it would be unethical to push drakes onto anyone, certainly not a friend. The drakes would be a danger to her chickens and also cause problems for her original ducks unless the sex ratio is 1 drake per 4 females.

Please discuss this thoroughly with your friend. Are her ducks separate from her chickens? What sex are her existing ducks?

How much space do you have? Ducks need a minimum of 4sq feet space in the coop and more space during the day. That would be 40sq ft in your coup or 5'x8' (minimum).

If you have 2 drakes and 8 females raised together, they will likely do okay. Any more drakes and you would have to start rehoming to maintain a sex ratio of at least 4 females per drake.

If you have 4 drakes, I would keep 1 drake in your flock and rehome 3. Although drakes do not lay eggs, they have a protective role with their flock and keep the females happy. The drake will stand back and keep watch while the females eat, for example. Happy ducks will be more productive!

So please discuss your donated ducks sex, and the safety of her chickens with drakes, with your friend, and give thought to keeping one drake yourself

 

[raynesducks]

The males will eventually develop a darker head, but at this age it's not possible to tell. Try picking them up one at a time and walking away with it. Females will quack. Not 100% yet though. They need to be a bit older.

I would also be concerned about selling all the drakes to your friend. Too many drakes = trouble most of the time. If you value your friendship, don't just sell drakes together, or worse, more drakes than ducks!

!

Yes! They actually have started getting a bit more distinct in their quacks so i’m going to go based on that. She definitely doesn’t want five ducks either haha so I’m going to divide how I give them up to other homes that already have ducks (groups of 2/3). And i definitely plan on keeping a drake or two for my flock!

 

[raynesducks]

I think it would be unethical to push drakes onto anyone, certainly not a friend. The drakes would be a danger to her chickens and also cause problems for her original ducks unless the sex ratio is 1 drake per 4 females.

Please discuss this thoroughly with your friend. Are her ducks separate from her chickens? What sex are her existing ducks?

How much space do you have? Ducks need a minimum of 4sq feet space in the coop and more space during the day. That would be 40sq ft in your coup or 5'x8' (minimum).

If you have 2 drakes and 8 females raised together, they will likely do okay. Any more drakes and you would have to start rehoming to maintain a sex ratio of at least 4 females per drake.

If you have 4 drakes, I would keep 1 drake in your flock and rehome 3. Although drakes do not lay eggs, they have a protective role with their flock and keep the females happy. The drake will stand back and keep watch while the females eat, for example. Happy ducks will be more productive!

So please discuss your donated ducks sex, and the safety of her chickens with drakes, with your friend, and give thought to keeping one drake yourself

I plan to keep one or two for my flock, how do i keep them from fertilizing any eggs i intend to eat? I saw someone post saying they keep them in two separate pens at night and just lots of different answers!

 

[Canadian Wind]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with eating a fertilized egg. I do it all the time! Now, and egg that has begun to develop...

Just gather daily and refrigerate. Or, you can keep them on the counter so long as it isn't too warm (eggs *have* started to develop when temps inside get above 80f). If you wash them first though, toss them in the fridge.

Glad to hear you won't risk your friendship by foisting all the drakes on your friend!

 

[ruthhope]

I plan to keep one or two for my flock, how do i keep them from fertilizing any eggs i intend to eat? I saw someone post saying they keep them in two separate pens at night and just lots of different answers!

There is no need to prevent the eggs from fertilization. The eggs do not start to develop until they are brooded or incubated. We don't wipe/wash our eggs and they are safe to stay out on the countertop for 2 weeks as long as the kitchen doesn't get hot. When they are cooked, you cannot tell if the eggs are fertilized. I can sometimes see what I think is sign of a fertilized egg when I first crack the egg and drop it into a cup. I must miss most of the fertilized egg signs though as my son's drake is an active boy and it's only occasionally I see what I think is a fertilized egg.