[bj_cardiff]

I also think they are 1 drake and the rest ducks, just from the plumage, the drake has a dark head and is at the back of the picture. Glad you have them, its so sad that people feel they can dump animals.

[Womble]

Yes, I think you're right bj - I'm impressed you managed to ID the drake despite him being hidden by wire in the photo though!  How old do you think they are?

I'd have had them at my old house, but neighbours here wouldn't be keen on continual quacking.

I think Annie probably nailed it here with why they were dumped. That and the mess / smell they inevitably produced I reckon. I'll bet their previous owners didn't see it that way though. They'll have "set them free" at a lovely pond...... to slowly starve to death whilst being eaten by foxes one by one  .

[Possum]

They are absolutely beautiful and do look quite young. I'm glad that you could give them a good home. Lots of duck eggs to look forward to.

[doganjo]

I think it would be an absolute sin to have rescued them, then to kill them for the freezer, so I hope they really do have a good home now. I know you and Lynda are softies really 

Unfortunately I have a dog that chases and catches hens and ducks so if I had any they would have to be penned, but if you only have one drake plus your oldies you shouldn't have any problms.

You have added another string to your smallholder bow as duck eggs are sought after.

The best way to be sure of their sex is to spend time with them adn listen to their voices.  Ducks quack drakes just squeak 

[Fleecewife]

I'm so glad you could keep them Womble  (that icon is naff!)  They are so beautiful and I hope you enjoy having them on your place.  No animal deserves to be dumped.

[Womble]

Yeah, the more I look at them, the more I'm convinced that at least four of them are POL females. They are gorgeous too. Personally I like runner ducks for their comedy value, but if I had to choose any other shape or colour of duck, it would be this lot  .

Assuming it is one drake and six ducks, that would make a combined flock for us of eight ducks and two drakes - do you reckon that will be ok?

[doganjo]

Yes that would be fine - a lot depends on how your two drakes get on too though.

[bj_cardiff]

Assuming it is one drake and six ducks, that would make a combined flock for us of eight ducks and two drakes - do you reckon that will be ok?

Yes that would be great I suspect your drake might exaust himself chasing (and treading) the girls. I would just keep an eye on them, I have 2 older drakes and 2 younger ones and when the younger ones (hatched here) start treading there are usually spats, but I just leave them to it and they establish a pecking order pretty quickly

I have runners - they are crazy, lol

[Q]

.. another vote for gorgeous..

[Steph Hen]

Good for you!

[Womble]

They're settling in nicely.

I'm starting to think they're actually quite young though....... So if somebody put eggs in an incubator at the beginning of March for instance, once it was clear we were going to be CV-19 locked down, they'd have hatched at the end of March and would be about three months old by now, and just ready to be "set free"    at the local pond.

Does that seem feasible, or are this lot definitely older than that?

[Rosemary]

They're right bonny.

[Fleecewife]

Are ducks sexable at hatching?  Otherwise the chances of getting only one drake in a batch would be negligible surely.  Perhaps someone bought the flock in as a Covid project and realised they couldn't cope.
They do look young (their legs are nice and clean still!) but they are fully feathered up - I've no idea at what age that happens though. Just pond-ering.

[harmony]

They're settling in nicely.

I'm starting to think they're actually quite young though....... So if somebody put eggs in an incubator at the beginning of March for instance, once it was clear we were going to be CV-19 locked down, they'd have hatched at the end of March and would be about three months old by now, and just ready to be "set free"    at the local pond.

Does that seem feasible, or are this lot definitely older than that?

I think you have two drakes and possibly a third. The ones to the left could be this years hatch. They are all old enough to sex. I would say the one at the back and one far right are drakes then possibly the one far left. You might find some of the others are too. How many "quackers" have you got?

[harmony]

Are ducks sexable at hatching?  Otherwise the chances of getting only one drake in a batch would be negligible surely.  Perhaps someone bought the flock in as a Covid project and realised they couldn't cope.
They do look young (their legs are nice and clean still!) but they are fully feathered up - I've no idea at what age that happens though. Just pond-ering.

I think there are some that fit the "bill" of being sexable at hatching but I think they are a hybrid type. Maybe they are all drakes. Come on womble be "quack" we need to know or are you "ducking" the job?