Pekin duck feathers? male or female?

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What is this strange with fuzz growing out of my Pekin Duck's back? he is about 5 or 6 weeks old and he keeps chewing on it. I am thinking it is feather but i just dont know. how can i tell if my pekin duck is male or female? when can i tell?

-- Bridget Harrell (tigger311989@msn.com), April 25, 2002

Answers

Hmm. Don't know what is growing on his/her back. Is the duck quacking? The first, most sure, imo sign of a duck's sex is its quacking voice. The female will say QUACK QUACK QUACK like Donald Duck lol. The male has a much more subtle voice. The male will also get the tale feathers that curl up a bit.

-- mary (mlg@mlg.com), April 25, 2002.

Are you talking about his oiling gland? Ducks produce oil at a spot at the base of their tail that they rub their heads on and then work all through their body feathers to condition them. They do this all the time when they groom themselves, and I think it may be what you are seeing.

You can tell in a few weeks whether it's male or female by the voice. If it starts out with a real quack it's a female. If it starts out with a whisper and stays there, it's a male. Always exciting when they get old enough to identify! :)

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), April 26, 2002.


Male Pekins get a curl in some of their tail feathers when they are close to adult age. It makes a cute little circle that curves back toward their head. That's how to tell them apart as young adults & beyond but when they're young/duckling age I can't tell. Blessings, Kathy

-- Kathy Aldridge (beckoningwinds@yahoo.com), April 26, 2002.

Peking Ducks: Females "Quack", and males sorta "whistle". They shed, fluffy down feathers. Their faces even look funny, with the downy feathers, poking outside their bill. Kind of messy looking, makes one want to wipe their nose or clean their face, err bill. Do not be alarmed when they shed their snowy feathers in the grass. Tis, natural. Nature works, even while we sleep. :) Good Luck!

-- beenthere (once@uponatime.com), April 27, 2002.

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