The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: CameronS on August 24, 2012, 11:13:05 pm

Title: sexing ducklings
Post by: CameronS on August 24, 2012, 11:13:05 pm

Hi all - been a while since I've been on and posted anything so i have a wee question for you
How the he** do you sex ducklings - i have been lucky enough to end up with 13 (and a chicken) from my broody duck and am now stuck with them running amok at 2/3weeks old unsure of gender.
I'm guessing i have a few females (or at least one) as daddy drake is constantly trying to rape the poor buggers - thankfully "mum" See's him off.
 
many thanks
Cameron

Title: Re: sexing ducklings
Post by: graham-j on August 25, 2012, 08:45:03 am

Hi,there are a couple of excellent links on this post,especially the one from Beeducked.
For me the quack test is the best way of sexing them,but the will need to be a bit older for this.
I think you need to keep daddy duck away from them all for now.

Graham.

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=25580.0 (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=25580.0)

Title: Re: sexing ducklings
Post by: CameronS on August 25, 2012, 04:30:10 pm

have used the quack test successfully in the past, and will probably just wait till they are older
 i have found that the drakes usually calm down and accept them (allways had a little aggression towards new ducklings) and if i isolate them the problem is far worse when they are bigger and fight back - i was only really asking as 17 ducks plus all then hens and rabbits are taking up a decent section of the garden and I'm needing to start lining up homes for them but don't want to sell them as a girl and they are a boy!
thanks