# Strange duck gender question.



## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

So during the spring I just had to have a couple of the crested pekins I found at tractor supply. From the time we bought them I felt they were one male one female. Saffron (the one I though was male) grew his Drake feather so I happily decided I was correct. About a month ago I noticed Sandy also was getting a Drake feather. I grumbled and complained and resigned myself to the fact that I better look for a few female ducks ASAP. Fast forward to this week... Sandy's Drake feather is GONE. No hint of it ever being there. I thought maybe it got pulled out somehow but there is no bare spot, no sign of any missing feathers. Has anyone ever seen anything like this happen before? So should I still assume Sandy is a Drake, too, or not? They are completely inseparable still and, while I haven't seen any mating activity (I have forgotten how early ducks mate, though), they certainly act like a 'couple'.


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## capracreek (Apr 5, 2016)

I have found that my ducks usually have their drake feather by 6 months. Once it comes I have never seen it go away. How old are they??? If Sandy is a hen which I would suspect - then she should start laying by 8 months. I have never seen my ducks mate - only the chickens.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

I've seen the drake feather come and go with my ducks, but I think it was more due to them fighting and that it can get hidden in the tail feathers.

I've found that listening to their sounds is more reliable. How old are they? The female will make more of a quake and the drake will have a more raspy "wrank" noise


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## AJM42 (Sep 7, 2016)

Ours loses his drake feather all the time. The only reason we were sure he was in fact a male was because of his voice. He sounds like he smokes a pack a day!


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## Ranger1 (Sep 1, 2014)

Agree with above. My drake lost his curly feather, but the voice is still drake.


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## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

Honestly, they neither seem to have that raspy Drake quack! I don't think, anyway. I had actually forgotten that as a way to tell so I will listen better. I got them in about march so I guess about 5 1/2 months. My other ducks used to always mate in the pool. Lol


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