Janty Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 (edited) I convince myself daily that they are one sex or another. They had their three week birthday yesterday and they are huge. Their feathers are changing but nothing I can really put my finger on. I keep listening for quacks and rasps but there is nothing decisive. One website says that drakes have darker bills. One website says that this makes no difference. Any ideas? I am convinced that Crispy is male based on the reasoning that my favourite chickens always turn out to be cockerels. Edited September 6, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Hi Janty Glad they are doing well! Apart from tipping them up to see if there are obvious differences(I wouldnt know the difference of a ducks bits particularly) Curly tails but they are too young I posted a pic on a thread few days back if you look at the wild mallard ducklings they all look the same & now about 12 weeks+on they still all look female. Apart from the newbie mallards who are in fine feather all of the wild ones are in moult so they all look female! The sligt difference I notice with the boys are they have a much more coloured bill and legs tend to be more orange yellow and they are bigger..longer in the body too. The females bills are more grey! Yours sound so young and with Autumn coming moults etc may be a while until you know for sure..but I dont know much about appleyard breed? Waiting game afraid...good luck indie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted September 6, 2009 Author Share Posted September 6, 2009 Thanks...just having fun guessing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChookKeeper Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I have 2 ducks who were supposed to be appleyards... turn out to be a bit of appleyard, and a bit of "something else". Who knows what. Anyway - I thought I had 2 girls... but quickly found I had a boy and girl. Not sure if my pic will help at all - the one at the front is Alice (the girl!), and the one at the back is Gerald (the boy!) The 3 things I noticed most as they grew up was that: Gerald always had a white collar (he was Geraldine, as in the vicar of dibley... until he became Gerald!). But yes, always had a white collar (I believe that is a trait of male appleyards, but could be wrong!) Alice used to follow Gerald around all the time, and he'd always do things first, even though he was quite a lot smaller/younger when I got them. Gerald also grew much quicker than Alice - he had overtaken her in size after about a month, which considering he was about 2/3 the size of her at the offset, is quite impressive! Not sure if any of that will help at all! Hope it does! My 2 indian runners that I hatched, the best sign I got with them was that one day Maggie started to quack... properly, whereas Jeremy kept on squeeking for a good week or so after she stopped. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 They are nice ducks so mallardish...at least you have one of each...geraldine thats a gerald now indie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 Gorgeous ducks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
