Author Topic: i need help getting my muscovy ducklings sexed (Read 2493 times)

diana22 · « **on:** July 26, 2010, 06:30:53 pm »

i am based in hertfordshire and really need some help, this is my first lot of ducklings and i have 31 that need to be sexed so i can start selling them - they are getting too big for the area i have them in!!!!!!!!!!!

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** July 26, 2010, 09:34:24 pm »

Hello and welcome Diana22 from still drizzly southern Scotland. How old are your ducklings? Drakes tend to have bigger feet than ducks, which is fairly obvious from a young age, then they are just bigger, and longer in the body. It's a while since I kept Muscovies but I remember that when they develop their red bits on the face, the drakes ones are bigger and more pronounced than the ducks, but I don't remember at what precise age that happens.

diana22 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 26, 2010, 10:01:30 pm »

The ducklings are at various ages between two weeks and seven weeks old - think i need to find someone who can sex them properly so no mistakes are made!

doganjo · « **Reply #3 on:** July 26, 2010, 11:21:39 pm »

Their voices are a giveaway but you need to be watching them when they 'quack', and with a breed that all look very similar it might be difficult

Fleecewife · « **Reply #4 on:** July 27, 2010, 12:25:20 am »

Muscovies don't quack

lazybee · « **Reply #5 on:** July 27, 2010, 06:56:16 am »

I have been rearing Large white Muscovy for a few years and can't tell the difference between the sexes until they are a few months old. You think you know. Then one will have a growth spurt and seem to become male when I was convinced it was female. Ducks are notoriously hard to sex. I can remember see a programmme on TV where they employed Chinese skilled workers brought in just to do the job. True they don't quack they just hiss and squeak

LB

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #6 on:** July 27, 2010, 08:33:11 am »

Just a thought but my "duck expert" will pick up a duck if it is silent he assumes its male, females make a lot of noise. It works 100% (for him) with Aylesburies and Runner ducks.

diana22 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 27, 2010, 08:46:52 am »

because the are all different ages i cannot really go by size and they are all still at the peeping stage so cannot go by their noises either

really need tofind someone who can do it properly, didn't think it would be so difficult to find someone and its so frustrating

Roxy · « **Reply #8 on:** July 27, 2010, 11:56:31 am »

Maybe no one wants to offer to do it, because they may be wrong?

It is frustrating when you need to know before advertising them. Hope you find someone.

I find it hard with my young silkies - they seem to be turning into males at an alarming rate now.......two are crowing, and thats how I know they are boys.

piggy · « **Reply #9 on:** July 27, 2010, 07:11:39 pm »

HM what a great tip,i had my 8 Aylsburys up for sale with not a clue to what they were someone has just been and bought 2 they wanted 1 female and 1 drake after looking at pics all day i thought there were 7 female and 1 drake,so picked up the female what a racket then picked up what i thought was a drake as he had much more of a curly tail then the others and bingo no noise.