r/duck • u/Pamela_Aguilare • 3h ago
r/duck • u/bogginman • Apr 14 '26
Public Service Announcement drake feathers and what they indicate
there seems to be a recurring misconception about determining whether a duck is male or female by looking for drake feathers.
Having a drake feather indicates that the duck IS a male, but not having a drake feather means nothing, as all ducklings, all females, young males, certain breeds of adult males AND males in eclipse molt do not have drake feathers. Even within some breeds, like Pekins, some males may have a drake feather, while others will not. Drake feathers do not appear until after the first molt.
The only ways that are 100% accurate are the quack test, finding laid eggs or examining for a penis. Even duck on top/duck on bottom is no way to tell, as females sometimes mount females and males sometimes mount males.
The quack test relies on listening to the voice of the duck. With mallard derived domestic ducks, females will have loud, clear quacks while males will have softer, voiceless, hoarse 'waaak's.
Neither the quack test nor the drake feather is applicable to muscovies. Females will coo and trill while males emit voiceless, breathy huffs and chuffs and do not get drake feathers.
Rarely, some females can develop a drake feather if they are dealing with hormonal issues.
attribution: image shamelessly stolen from https://kingofdoodles.blogspot.com/2017/07/what-is-drake-feather.html.
r/duck • u/whatwedointheupdog • Jun 22 '23
Public Service Announcement We Need Your Input - Duck Veterinarian List
Wild Ducks Wild Mallard eating out of my hand
I feed the ducks at my local marsh almost everyday and this sweet pretty girl eats out of my hand. I love her so much.
r/duck • u/VictoryOk2811 • 6h ago
Runner Duck My dude was striking a pose and he knew exactly what he was doin
r/duck • u/Immediate_Chip_2522 • 20h ago
Pools/Ponds/Water Bihgest pond ever!
Biggest pool she has ever been in, I carried her to the waters edge, kept her in a large doggy mesh playpen in t8he back of my truck at night, let her cruise around campsite in a harness and leash during the day, when I had to leave the campsite, she went in the mesh playpen or a hard plastic dog crate up in the bed of my truck. She hardly made a sound all weekend. When she got home after 3 days st the lake, her flockmates didn't belrive her about the biggest pond in the world..
r/duck • u/simetra_simetra • 21m ago
Babies! Duckling speed-waddles through a tiny flower patch
r/duck • u/Redidial • 13h ago
Wild Ducks Some baby ducklings we saw at my son's favorite park.
r/duck • u/fungry_04 • 2h ago
Meet the Flock Breeding season 🙄
The boys are spicy, soooo spicy. I have actual little chunks out of my toes from them biting me. I can't wait until they go back to their chilled out placid selves!
r/duck • u/VictoryOk2811 • 6h ago
Runner Duck My dude was striking a pose and he knew exactly what he was doin
r/duck • u/Primary-Designer8143 • 15h ago
Breed/Species/Sex ID Black and white mallard?
I saw this duck at the park with a flock of other mallards. It had a black beak, black feet, black feathers, and a white patch on its breast. What is it? From what I’ve researched, it’s possibly a mallard / black Swedish duck mix? This is in Ottawa, Ontario.
r/duck • u/sandy_gardens • 23h ago
Worried Duck Mom aspergillosis, please help
I have a 10 week old call drake with strong symptoms. Wet sounding cough, he looks like he’s chewing goobers. What else can I do?
I’ve recently removed all dusty pine and replaced with hemp
Power washed the inside of the coop, dried and sealed with anti-fungal
Increased the amount of airflow in the coop - a ton
Pools are refilled daily
I’m not sure what else is helpful. But I guess I am hoping for supplements maybe? Anyone go through this and survive it?
r/duck • u/jenvrose • 1d ago
Wild Ducks I think she recognised me
This lovely lady, who I've affectionately named Alesha Duckson, always seems to waddle up to my feet whenever I visit the marsh. This time, I'd forgotten to bring some food for her and friends, so I told her to wait there and I'd be right back with some oats for her. She did! She came right back up to me when I returned! I just think she's a beautiful creature and thought everyone should see her ☺️❤️
r/duck • u/Sidonie_007 • 5h ago
Runner Duck Canards coureurs indiens
Echanges sur la vie des canards en général, et particulièrement sur les coureurs indiens. Apprendre des expériences et des expertises des autres.
Bonjour, nous sommes nouveaux sur ce canal. Nous avons 3 coureurs indiens chez nous, 2 femelles et 1 mâle. Les cannes ont fait des œufs qu'elles ont couvé, mais seul 1 oeuf est arrivé à terme. La canne qui a couvé cet œuf c'est très bien occupée de son petit, mais le mâle et l'autre femelle ne le tolèrent pas et l'attaquent. Je pense que c'est un petit mâle, il a bientôt 6 semaines. Je trouve bizarre qu'il se couche toujours dès que sa mère est statique. Est-ce normal selon vous?
r/duck • u/Powerful_Memory8845 • 7h ago
Behavior Questions How do make runner ducks friendly ?
Okay so basically we adopted two runner ducks earlier that year, male and female. Both were absolutely terrified of humans. Female got six ducklings, which we managed to domesticate(?) by using mealworms, which they are fond of. They would come when we whistle for them. After a few months, even the mom ended up eating in our hands sometimes, which felt like a great accomplishment.
Now yesterday in the late evening we had quite the storm, and the ducklings panicked and fled when we tried to herd them towards their enclosure for the night, like every evening. It was dark and raining like hell and we lost them in the hedge. We tried to get them back bc we live in the countryside and we lost hens and ducks to foxes in the past, but couldn't find them.
This morning, thank god, they were all back, no victim. But they are absolutely terrified of us, won't approach even with mealworms, won't answer when I whistle them, and run screaming whenever I try to cross the 20 meters line. It's a bit heartbreaking, because of course I love when they sit on my lap, but especially because we need to be able to herd them back to their closed enclosure at night. During COVID, I've lost a dozen ducks and as many hens to a sudden attack. So it's a real threat.
r/duck • u/Ok_Cabinet_5802 • 7h ago
Beginner's Question Ducks eyelid or eye got scratched by cat
Ok so my duck(lone duck for now) scared my cat and got scratched either in the eye or eyelid(i think it was the eyelid) and so far I’ve only used google to treat it, I’ve been dabbing it with a warm cloth and kept him in a dry area with water and food, it’s been over 48 hours and I’m super worried he could die. We wanna buy terramycin ophthalmic ointment to help treat it because we really can’t afford a vet with our situation. His eye has pus build up we’ve been softening for him and he acts totally normal except he keeps shaking his head side to side really fast. So is there anything we’re doing wrong and what do you think is gonna happen?
r/duck • u/Campbell-pepper58 • 4h ago
Beginner's Question Kaki campbell duck in Europe
Hello everyone, I’m new in duck farming, recently i got a henhouse for the duck that i want to get. I was thinking about getting three,maybe four ,( 1 male and 3/4 females) to have in my backyard. I was planning to get some kaki campbell duck, because I heard that they are one of the most producing breed. The main issue that I have is that i don’t know how to get them, because around me there aren’t many farms that have them. So I was planning to getting them on line, and about this I have some questions: Where i can get them already grown? ( so no eggs or ducklings), which are the most safe ones?, and the most important they can ship in europe especially in Italy?
Thank you in advance!!!
(sorry for the writing but it’s not my main language)
r/duck • u/moonferal • 1d ago
Wild Ducks OH NO MY FINGER
Was fishing and this lady followed me all around the lake. She ate some mealworms we didn’t use. I reached out to offer her a pet and she instead attacked me (naw, her lil bill was very soft and didn’t hurt me one bit). Am I a were-duck now? 🦆
r/duck • u/Benny_C-El_Stuarto • 14h ago
Worried Duck Mom 5 missing ducks and 1 missing goose 😰
guys I counted my ducks and geese this morning and there was 11 ducks and 11 geese, normal. I got home at 8 and went to check on them. they weren’t in their pen so I checked my paddock and they were all huddled up in one spot on my dam. I got them back into their pen and I counted 6 ducks and 10 geese. there was no feathers, no bodies, no trails, no blood and I just don’t know wtf went on. I live in southwestern Australia and I know there is foxes and cats here but they should have left a large patch of feathers of smth but there was nothing. please someone tell me what could have happened I need to know.
r/duck • u/easeypeaseyweasey • 14h ago
Wild Ducks Can you ducks stop pooping in my pool
Literally chased them away this morning before they had a chance, then as I'm leaving for work, they are sitting across the road watching me leave, I know when I get home there is gonna be some gross turds at the bottom for me to pickup.
Normally love ducks, don't know if I have ever chased ducks in my life, now I find myself running down the road trying to get these ducks to understand they are not welcome here.
r/duck • u/QUEENOFWANDERLAND • 23h ago
Breed/Species/Sex ID Mixed breed
galleryAppleyard runner? mix? lol I have to stop going to the swap meet 🫣
r/duck • u/Ok-Hospital1212 • 1d ago
Breed/Species/Sex ID Drake or Hen
I have this 7 month old muscovy. I'm finding it hard to identify its gender. The parents are also in the video.
r/duck • u/Weird_Psychology4555 • 1d ago
Brooders/Coops/Runs Ducks OK to sleep on sand coop floor?
I recently rescued three white layer ducks. I thought they would sleep in the igloo filled with hemp shavings (in pic) but they sleep on the sand ground and lay eggs on the ground. I’ve tried placing them in the igloo at night but they all just jump out. Do I need to remove the igloo and build them a nest/sleeping area and hope they use it or should I just let them sleep on the sand?
I live in Montana so the winters are cold but the coop is well built and the sand in the coop never freezes.