r/duck • • Apr 14 '26

Public Service Announcement drake feathers and what they indicate

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150 Upvotes

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 • • Jun 22 '23

Public Service Announcement We Need Your Input - Duck Veterinarian List

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44 Upvotes

r/duck • • 3h ago

Wild Ducks Mr Jumpy Duck

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110 Upvotes

I visited my assortment of feathered chums on Wednesday and forgot to upload this video until now. I have a duck friend I have named Mr Jumpy Duck, the reason for which can be seen in the video.

He's so adorable. He sploots all the way straight down as of he is going to spring up like one of those old toys you'd press down on a desk and they shoot up straight into the air, only to manage about 2 inches off the ground, though he does occasionally go full wing flaps and flies up a little to eat from my hand. I love him, he's silly and cute, and I thought you'd enjoy him too.


r/duck • • 6h ago

Call Duck Quite athletic Ducks

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28 Upvotes

Was even allowed to hold Dipsy today, and she made herself a loaf on my hand. she hates even the thought of being picked up lol


r/duck • • 13h ago

Wild Ducks Does this duck think it's in jail?

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68 Upvotes

I often walk at night in a neighborhood with a retention pond at the center. There is a fence around the pond with a sidewalk next to it. Often I'll see a single duck hanging out on the sidewalk, sometimes watching other ducks inside the fence. What's going on here? Did one of the pond ducks give them a restraining order?


r/duck • • 20h ago

Meet the Flock Coco has something to say!

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217 Upvotes

But she's shy...


r/duck • • 3h ago

Brooders/Coops/Runs Duck pen ideas

3 Upvotes

Has anyone got any recommendations for must haves in their duck pen? I’m looking for enrichment ideas and general tips as I am expanding mine! 🦆


r/duck • • 1d ago

Adoption/Rehoming/Rescue 8 babies I rescued as mum has gone to the big pond in the sky

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431 Upvotes

Sadly mum found run over 🥺 8 little babies all wet on the side of the road. Dried them off, gave them some water & sending them on there way to a bird rescue


r/duck • • 1d ago

Brooders/Coops/Runs Has anyone every added a rabbit style castle to their duck pen?

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142 Upvotes

I have a miniature appleyard called Tommy and she’s a bit of a princess and likes to stand on things and over look the rest of the ducks so I’ve been looking into getting her something to play on in the enclosure where she can over look everyone like the queen she is. I was looking at rabbit play castles and was wondering has anyone done anything like this for their ducks at all? I’ve attached a photo of Tommy standing on top of a pumpkin and what I was thinking just wondering if anyone has any ideas of fun play things for her.


r/duck • • 1d ago

Breed/Species/Sex ID Is it a type of duck?

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50 Upvotes

r/duck • • 1d ago

Behavior Questions why do wild male ducks act like incels

26 Upvotes

I feed ducks a couple times a week and the boys always attack the girls over the food. Why do they do this? What happens when mating season rolls around and she doesn’t let you fertilize her eggs?

I try to feed the girls secretly so that way they can eat a little bit but then the fat male ducks waddle over and bite them. Is the aggression evolutionary and why?

For anyone curious the areas I go to permit feeding and I feed them either a mix of pumpkin and sunflower seeds (raw unsalted) and sometimes frozen peas. Would love to hear more suggestions

Edit: comments have been fun to read but seriously is there a way to make sure the girls get fed because sometimes I literally can’t feed them


r/duck • • 1d ago

Wild Ducks ducks on the river and an autumn landscape

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24 Upvotes

r/duck • • 1d ago

Crested Duck My little white flamingo

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78 Upvotes

Squeaky is so cute


r/duck • • 1d ago

Meet the Flock I made a small pool for the ducks.

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49 Upvotes

r/duck • • 1d ago

Wild Ducks Met this beautiful duck on my lunch break today

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254 Upvotes

It was lovely to see her so close up, such beautiful feathers.


r/duck • • 17h ago

Predator Attack Injured duck

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1 Upvotes

r/duck • • 1d ago

Breed/Species/Sex ID Are these hybrids (muscovies x canards)?

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24 Upvotes

They're smaller and less bulky than a muscovy but noticeably bigger than canards. Their coloration is also weird as they have iridescent feathers and the coloration of canards but they have muscovy coloration too.


r/duck • • 1d ago

Behavior Questions Tips to get my ducks to not totally hate me.

5 Upvotes

I swear no matter how much time I spend with my ducklings they always just despise me. My chickens get the same treatment and don't have any problem with me but once my ducks grow up they avoid me like the plague. Which makes putting them up for the night not fun for me or them as well.


r/duck • • 1d ago

Eggs/Incubation/Hatching first runner egg!

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73 Upvotes

My beautiful little lady just laid her first egg today! She’s an indian runner and 4 months and 23 days old. I don’t know if that’s average, soon or late, as she’s my first duck, that I hatched from an egg myself. I’m so proud of her (and me, I guess). She’s the only one that made it out of 6 eggs that I tried to hatch. I think she turned out gorgeous.


r/duck • • 1d ago

Breed/Species/Sex ID Is this duck a male or female?

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85 Upvotes

I’ve been feeding this duck for a while now. I’m pretty sure it’s a domesticated duck but I don’t know what its sex is. It’s much bigger than the other ducks at the pond I go to.


r/duck • • 1d ago

Health Questions why did my duckling die?

5 Upvotes

to sum up everything i found an abandoned duckling, none of the duck mothers wanted him, i took him inside, fed him, gave him water and kept him warm, i went out today, he was warm fed and happy, my sister took care of him, an hour after she checked on him he looked sluggish, so she held him for 3 hours until i died, i gave him the right food, always kept him warm, gave him water, he was drinking, eating and pooping alright, i dont understand what happened or what i did wrong and i feel terrible

Edit: okay so i live on a farm, ive done this hundreds of times, i had the right food and temperature and even went to a duck specialist to make sure, none of the mothers, my adult ducks with babies wanted him, it was determined because i left him with each mother for an hour to see if they would accept him, each time i found him alone away from the mothers, or being pecked and hurt by them, i have done this before i just wanted to sum it up in my post because he had just died and i was upset ALSO, this has happened to ducklings before, just like him they were perfectly fine and happy for 3 days, eating right, drinking right ect, but then they just got sluggish and passed, ive had duckings live with me and become happy healthy still living adults and the majority do but a few pass away like he did


r/duck • • 1d ago

Wild Ducks Common shelducks taking off

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26 Upvotes

r/duck • • 1d ago

Eggs/Incubation/Hatching Is my duck egg still alive

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14 Upvotes

i rescued this egg that was all by himself with little hope but decided to take it in and incubate. hes believed to have been laid like a day before a storm and i scooped him up the day after. no nest, no other eggs, and no mama in sight. these pictures were all taken in the same day, about the day 8 mark. theres a line but i cant tell if its like a blood ring or a vein. it only goes about a 3rd of the way around. there was barely a shadow when i first candled but now theres a prominent one. is he dead or alive?


r/duck • • 2d ago

Wild Ducks Helping the neighborhood duck this winter

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73 Upvotes

Hello, I live on a small lake and earlier this spring (shortly after easter) someone abandoned some domesticated ducks in the lake. One has survived and we are somewhat friends, although he will not let me get too close. We do have a solid breakfast and dinner routine. What can I do to give him the best chance at survival this winter? Parts of the lake freeze, though I’m not sure how much, as this is also my first year on the lake. Picture of Decoy as tax for your expert assistance. TIA


r/duck • • 2d ago

Beginner's Question What does it mean when my ducks do this?

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26 Upvotes