Very often we meet wild nature or in household different birds, but can not always determine not only their breed, but also their gender. Although it is sometimes very difficult to do this, there are still various signs, which allow us to understand whether we have a male duck or a female in front of us. And it is about the male sex of ducks that you will learn below. After all, they are beautiful birds.
First of all, you need to understand that ducks are waterfowl and are considered old relatives of swans. A few centuries ago, hunting for wild birds, but not only because of the sporting interest, but also because of the delicious meat and high-quality fluff. If we talk about male field this bird, it is called a drake and has a number of small differences from the female.
Although drakes, like ducks, differ from their distant relatives in their smaller size. After all, their body length is no more than 35 cm, although musky drakes this figure fluctuates around 85 cm. And all this is shown in the photo below.
Them average weight about 3 kg, but everything, of course, depends on the species. The down of ducks, and in particular drakes, is very thick and dense, so they tolerate low temperatures. Also, these birds quickly get used to their habitat, and because of the structure of the neck, they can easily dive and swim. Therefore, most drakes get food under water. Another distinguishing feature of this type of bird is that, due to their special flight, they have the opportunity to settle in places that are not accessible to others.
It is worth noting that the difference between the female and the male is mainly represented by different plumage colors. Drakes differ from females in their brighter and more colorful feather colors, while ducks are painted in more gray and camouflage shades. It is also worth mentioning that their size is slightly larger, and the beak is not only yellow, but also red, blue and black. A male of any kind has a necklace around his neck. white color, at a time when shades of feathers can be yellow and green.
Females, on the other hand, choose their future couple, based on how bright the duck's beak is and it is desirable that it be yellow. Another feature that is inherent only to male ducks is that they have a special crest, which is also designed to draw the attention of the female to this particular male and make her the future mother of his ducklings.
During the period when the time comes to build a nest and have offspring, drakes attract the attention of their future females precisely with the help of their colorfully colored feathers. It is also worth noting that despite their silence throughout their lives, during the time when the drakes are looking for a female, they behave quite loudly.
In drakes, unlike other types of birds and males, one can see features not only in appearance and behavior, but also in the anatomical structure of the bird. It is in the walls of the cloaca that the drakes have a large penis, which you don’t immediately recognize, since it is modified, but quite impressive in size.
It can also turn outward, but this happens only during nesting and in mating season. Although it is this organ that makes the flight of a bird difficult and complicates its life, because its size is sometimes equal to the length of the body of a male duck, no matter what kind it is.
In addition to the fact that drakes are engaged in the fertilization of their females, they practically do not carry any special significance, except for excellent and healthy meat and warm thick fluff. At what such that it is used in the manufacture of clothing. Although it is worth noting that some species of male ducks are used to make a homeopathic remedy for sick and people in need.
Many people at least once in their lives have seen ducks and drakes on lakes, ponds and other bodies of water.
At the same time, you can meet both nondescript birds with brown feathers, and beautiful representatives with gray-white plumage and a green head.
Due to the different colors, males and females can be distinguished, but this is far from the only difference.
The duck family includes more than a hundred various kinds, of which more than thirty genera are easy to find on the territory of Russia.
Among these species is the subfamily of true ducks. It is further divided into 5-8 subgroups, whose representatives have the most characteristic features.
These include ducks:
Domestic ducks are descended from the mallard or mallard wild duck. They are bred in many countries and are traditionally divided into:
Important: only females are called ducks - males are called drakes.
Ducks are small birds with a short neck and membranes. They have a variety of feather colors, many have a so-called “mirror” on their wings - a blue spot that helps to recognize “their” appearance.
Coloration depends on gender and is expressed during the breeding season, when males become brighter than females and attract attention. In summer and autumn, molting occurs, during the latter, due to the change of flight wings, ducks cannot fly for some time.
feed on aquatic plants and seeds, do not mind eating shellfish and insects. The weight of poultry is up to 3-4 kg in drakes and about 3-3.5 kg in females. The latter are able to bring up to 250 eggs per year, wild species are more “modest”. Mostly females incubate eggs, they also raise children.
In order to correctly count the birds in the household, the owner needs to know exactly the difference between females and males.
This will help not only to establish their number, but also to choose a farming model and form the most optimal ratio of individuals. It is important to remember that:
Differences between two individuals may lie in external signs and behavior. Some difficulty is the recognition of gender in ducklings, since bright signs they don't have yet.
Gender (click to enlarge)
There are 4 ways to recognize the gender of ducks:
To external differences relate:
Note: in the household, identical white birds are often found, which cannot be distinguished.
It is important to remember that this method is not reliable, since external structure birds can change a lot due to diet and other reasons. 
For example, a lack of nutrition can lead to a decrease in the male, and its excess - to the enlargement of the female.
The Japanese version of medical recognition, based on differences in the reproductive system, is recognized as more truthful. Drakes have a so-called pseudopenis - a small fold about 3-4 mm in size. To find it, you need to take the bird to left hand, turn her head towards you and open the anus with your right fingers, then turn. In females, it will be possible to detect flat spherical growths, in males - a rudiment of a spiral member.
This method is more suitable for experienced poultry farmers who can distinguish the behavioral characteristics of their pets. These include:
It is important to remember that due to improper maintenance or care, the bird may develop homosexuality, and it will begin to copy someone else's behavior. For example, a dominant female will start to fight or run away to the drakes, and a passive male will cling to the opposite sex.
While the ducklings are small, it is rather difficult to distinguish females and males in them: the first external signs will begin to appear only at the age of 2-3 months. The Japanese method described above remains the most reliable method.
In second place is the ultrasonic method. To do this, you need to purchase an ultrasonic device and, choosing the frequency, track when ducks come running, when drakes come running.
Cleaning sewer pipes at home:
Folk remedies offer to follow the behavior of ducklings in a flock: like adults, drakes are more pugnacious. An interesting option is the following method: you need to grab the duckling by the paws and lower it upside down. The boy will start to break free, the girl will remain hanging.
Accurate determination of the sex of birds will help to properly distribute food and choose the direction of development of the economy. It is important to remember that each breed of bird has its own differences, which may not coincide with the general ones. You can learn about them from the video or by comparing photos of drakes and ducks.
How to distinguish a duck from a drake, see the following video for expert advice:
Duck (Anatidae) according to the classification belongs to the class of birds, the order of Anseriformes, the family of ducks and the genus of waterfowl.
For all the numerous representatives of ducks, one can name character traits, distinguishing them from other birds:
One more characteristic feature distinguishing ducks from other bird species, one can name a significant difference in the color of males and females. The male duck, the drake, in addition to being much larger than the female, has a more colorful plumage. All representatives of ducks have a contrasting and bright spot on their wings, which is called a “mirror”. It serves to ensure that birds of the same species can identify each other among other birds.
Due to the grease secreted by the oil gland, the outer plumage of the duck is waterproof. Thanks to this, waterfowl can take off even after long “water procedures”.
Ducks can be divided into two main groups: wild and domestic. In turn, wild ducks are divided into diving ducks, which get their food at the bottom of water bodies, and river ducks, which get their food in shallow water. It is believed that domestic ducks had one common ancestor- mallard.
The whole variety of duck breeds bred by man can be divided into four classes: meat, meat and egg, egg and decorative.
The weight of meat breed drakes can reach four kilograms, and the average egg-laying of ducks of the egg class exceeds 250 eggs per year.
The distribution range of ducks is very wide. You will not meet them only in the harsh conditions of Antarctica. The main condition for existence wild ducks is the presence of a reservoir, since it is a source of food for these birds.
In addition, coastal vegetation (shrubs, reeds, wind-blown trees, etc.) serves as an obligatory factor, which hides a nest with masonry from prying eyes. With representatives of poultry it is easier - they live where conditions have been created for them.
In nutrition, representatives of the duck family are absolutely unpretentious and can easily adapt to circumstances. In early spring When the reservoirs are still covered with a crust of ice, ducks find food in polynyas. Later, when the water is freed from winter shackles, duckweed, small fish and tadpoles, crustaceans and adults are added to the diet of ducks. The latter helps to restrain the uncontrolled reproduction of these insects.
Baby animals sometimes have non-obvious names, and you may have even wondered questions like:
In a word, in this article we have collected the names of females - mothers, males - fathers, as well as the names of animal cubs, including animals (they are also mammals), birds, fish, insects, reptiles and amphibians.
If you did not find someone, then be sure to write about it in the comments, and we will add this material in the very near future.
The collected material is presented in the form of a table with 4 columns. The first column is the name of the male, the 2nd is the name of the females, the 3rd is the name of the baby animal, and the last column is the plural name of the baby animal.
Note also that there are colloquial names , which are acceptable in speech, but use them in a scientific report, or when preparing an essay, it will not be correct .
| Parents | Cub (child) in the singular | Plural babies | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Father (male) | Mother (female) | ||
| Ram | Sheep or sheep | Lamb | lambs |
| Walrus | walrus | walrus | walrus |
| Giraffe | giraffe, in colloquial speech there is a name - a giraffe. | A calf is the name given to all young artiodactyl animals, but there is also a giraffe. | Calves or in colloquial speech - giraffes. |
| Elk | moose | calf | moose |
| Seal | female seal; in colloquial speech, you can find the name of the seal. | Belek, and in the scientific literature, a seal cub is usually called a puppy. | Belki, and in the scientific literature, seal cubs are usually called puppies. |
| Badger | Badger | Badger | Badgers |
| Zebra | Zebra | Foal | Foals |
| Hedgehog | hedgehog | hedgehog | Ezhata |
| Deer | That's right - a deer (Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary), and not a deer, as it might seem. The name Lanka is also found in Efremova's dictionary. | deer | deer |
| Wild reindeer or sokzha - that's what they call reindeer peoples inhabiting the tundra. | Wild female reindeer or female reindeer. | A deer up to a year old is called “non-blowing” or “non-spitting”, and only a born baby is called “fawn”. | Fawns up to a year old are called “non-blues” or “non-spits”, and only those born are called “fawns”. |
| Serpent | Snake | serpent | Serpents |
| Rhinoceros | Rhino female | A calf, in colloquial speech, a rhinoceros is also found. | Calves, in colloquial speech - rhinos. |
| A boar is a male pig. Descendant of a boar. You can also meet a boar, but a boar cannot reproduce, as it is a castrated boar. | Pig | Piglet | piglets |
| Lynx male | Lynx | A lynx or kitten, as a lynx is from the cat family. | Lynxes or kittens. |
| Stallion (Horse) | Horse (Mare) | Foal | Foals |
| Ostrich | ostrich | Ostrich | ostriches |
| Swan | Swan | A chick, and in simple colloquial speech it is called a swan or a swan. | Chicks, swans. |
| male panda | Panda | A panda cub, a panda bear cub, since the panda belongs to the bear family. You can meet the names "pandenok" or "pandenysh", but in the scientific literature the terms are not used - only in common parlance. When a panda cub grows up a little, they begin to call him a little panda. | Panda cubs, panda cubs. |
| Fish | fry | Fry or juveniles | |
| Crocodile | crocodile | crocodile | crocodiles |
| Raccoon | A female raccoon will be correct, but you can also find the names of a raccoon or a raccoon. | Puppy | Puppies |
| Eagle | Eaglet | Eaglet | Eaglets |
| male monkey | A monkey | A baby monkey, and colloquially, a baby monkey can be called a "monkey". | monkey cubs |
| Bull | Cow | Calf | calves |
| Whale | female whale, whale | In scientific publications, either the phrase “whale baby” or “calf” is used; in colloquial speech, you can meet a whale. | Whale cubs, calves, whales |
| male squirrel | Squirrel | little squirrel | Belchata |
| Leopard | female leopard | Kitty | kittens |
| A donkey | donkey | Foal | donkeys |
| Wolf | She-wolf | wolf cub | cubs |
| male toad | Toad | Frog ( feminine), frog (masculine) according to Dahl's dictionary | Frogs |
| Hippopotamus (hippopotamus) | Behemoth | A baby hippopotamus, and you can also call the baby hippopotamus. Also note that hippos belong to the artiodactyl family. In the scientific language, the cubs of all artiodactyls are called calves. | Baby hippos, calves |
| fox | fox, fox | fox cub | fox cubs |
| Nerpa (type of seal) | Seal | Belek (belek), and in the scientific literature, seal cubs are usually called puppies. | Belki, and in the scientific literature, seal cubs are usually called puppies. |
| Kangaroo | Kangaroo | Kangaroo | kangaroo |
| Goat | Goat | Kid | goats |
| Camel | Camel | camel | Camels |
| arctic fox | fox female | A fox cub, but it can also be called a puppy, since the fox is a mammal of the canine family, and a cub is called a cub not only of a dog, but also of a wolf, fox and other canines. | fox cubs or puppies |
| male turtle | Turtle | Turtle | |
| Fur seal | female fur seal | Puppy | Puppies |
| male marten | Marten | Puppy | Puppies |
| Pigeon | Dove | Dove chick, in colloquial speech there is a dove. | Pigeon chicks, colloquially - pigeons. |
| Gusak (Goose) | Goose | Gosling | Goslings |
| Elephant | Elephant | Baby elephant | Elephant |
| Magpie male | Magpie | shirt | Sorochata |
| Martin | Swallow chick. In Dahl's dictionary, the name of the cowgirl is found. | Swallow chicks. | |
| a lion | Lioness | lion cub | lion cubs |
| Male mouse - colloquial | Mouse | little mouse | mice |
| male panther | Panther | A kitten, like a panther from the cat family. In colloquial speech, you can sometimes meet: a panther or a panther. | kittens |
| male frog | Frog | Tadpole (frog larva emerging from eggs). After the process of metamorphosis, he becomes a frog. A frog is a young frog. | Tadpoles, frogs |
| Dolphin | female dolphin | Dolphin according to explanatory dictionary Efremova from 2000. | Dolphins |
| Dog | Dog | Puppy | Puppies |
| Sable | Sable female | Puppy, sable is also used colloquially. | Puppies |
| Crow | Female crow (emphasis on 1 syllable - crow) or crow | Crow crow or crow chick. | Crows or crow chicks. |
| Male crow or crow | Crow | Crow chick, crow. | Crow chicks, crows. |
| Stork | Stork in colloquial speech. | stork | storks |
| Cheetah | female cheetah | A kitten, like a cheetah from the cat family. | kittens |
| shark male | Shark | baby shark | shark |
| Hare | hare | Hare | Bunnies. In general, the offspring of hares happens 3 times a year. The first brood at the end of March. They are called - "nastoviki", the second brood is born in June, and they are called "spikelets" and "herbalists". Autumn hares are called "leaf fall", and they appear in September. Thus, late hares are called "deciduous". |
| Tiger | Tigress | tiger cub | tiger cubs |
| male red panda | Red panda | Panda cub or small (red, red) panda cub | Panda cubs or small (red, red) panda cubs |
| The male cuckoo, and names like: cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo are not correct. | Cuckoo | cuckoo | cuckoo |
| A male roe deer, and the Altaians call him kuran or guran. Hunters call a male roe deer a goat. | Roe deer or goat. You can also find the name of the female among the Altaians - kerekshin. And in some places the name is used - goat. | Roe deer in the dictionary of Ephraim. | Roe deer |
| lizard | Lizard | lizard | Lizards |
| male heron | Heron | Heron chick | Heron chicks |
| Ferret | female ferret | Puppy | Puppies |
| male antelope | Antelope | Calf, although in colloquial speech you can find such names as "antelope", "antelope" or "antelope", which should not be used in literary speech. | calves |
| doe male | Doe | Calf | calves |
| male killer whale | Killer whale, sometimes you can find the spelling killer whale, but the correct version is still killer whale. | In colloquial speech, you can use killer whales, or rather killer whales, but in general, killer whale cubs are called that - a killer whale cub. | killer whale cubs |
| Starling | female starling | Starling | skvorchata |
| male mink | Mink | Puppy | Puppies |
| Turkey | Turkey, and in cooked form, for example, fried will be a turkey. | turkey chick | Turkey poults |
| Penguin | Penguin | little penguin | penguins |
| male gorilla | Gorilla | Gorillion | Gorillion |
| male weasel | weasel | Puppy | Puppies |
| Gopher | The female gopher, and options like gopher, gopher, gopher - are not true. | Baby gopher. And the name like gophers is not true. | gopher cubs |
| Mole | A female mole, but a mole is allowed in colloquial speech. | Mole or mole according to Dahl's dictionary. | moles |
| Sparrow or diminutive to sparrow - sparrow, sparrow | Sparrow - according to Ozhegov's dictionary | Sparrow or colloquially sparrows or little sparrows and you can even meet a little sparrow. | sparrow |
| male otter | Otter | Puppy | Puppies |
| Rabbit | Bunny | rabbit | rabbits |
| Crane | Female crane, crane, crane | Crane | Cranes |
| Polar bear | polar bear | bear cub | bear cubs |
| male jackdaw | Jackdaw | Galchonok | Galchata |
| Rook | rook | rook | Grachata |
| Buffalo | buffalo | buffalo | buffalo |
| Bear | Bear | bear cub | bear cubs |
| Rooster | Chicken | Chick | chickens |
| Chipmunk | Chipmunk | Chipmunk | Chipmunk |
| Cat | Cat | Kitty | kittens |
| Drake | Duck | Duckling | ducklings |
| Buffalo | buffalo | Calf | calves |
| Beaver is also a beaver, but the word "beaver" means the animal itself, but "beaver" is the fur of this beautiful animal. The beaver is used in scientific literature, and the beaver in colloquial. | beaver | beaver | beavers |
| Goat | Goat | Kid | goats |
| male titmouse | Tit | Tit chick, colloquially found - titmouse | Chicks of a tit, colloquially also used - titmouse |
| Woodpecker | female woodpecker | Woodpecker chick, woodpecker is used in zoology | Woodpecker chicks, zoologists use - woodpeckers |
| Boar | Boar | boar | Boar |
| Mammoth | Mammoth or female mammoth | Mammoth | Mammoths |
| Thrush | A female thrush or a female thrush. In colloquial speech, it is found - a thrush. | A thrush chick, in colloquial speech - a thrush. | Thrush chicks |
| Desman or crest | Desman female | Desman cub, colloquially a muskrat. | Desman cubs, in colloquial speech - desmans. |
| Teretev, a kosach, he is a polyukh. | The female black grouse, you can also find the names - black grouse, scythe, female scythe, chicken. | black grouse chick | black grouse chicks, vernacular name- powders. |
| A male owl, hunters use the name owl. | Owl | Owlet | Owlets |
| Partridge male. Ornithologists call the male cock, hunters - partridge. Among the local names there are names: drummer, pitoon. | Partridge, there are also many local names: chicken, partridge, partridge, white grouse, tallovka, alder, birch. | partridge chick | partridge chicks |
| Skunk | female skunk | Puppy, colloquially - skunk | Puppies |
| Ant-eater | Female anteater, colloquially - anteater | Anteater cub | Anteater cubs |
| Vulture | Vulture female | Vulture chick | Vulture chicks |
| Toucan | female toucan | toucan chick | toucan chicks |
| Tapir | female tapir | Foal or baby tapir | Foals or baby tapirs |
| Male coati or male coati | Nosukha, scientific name- coati. | Noseha cub or coati cub | Nosihi cubs or coati cubs |
| Meerkat | A female meerkat, colloquially a meerkat | A baby meerkat, colloquially a meerkat. | Meerkat cubs, colloquially - meerkats. |
| Tamarin or saguin | female tamarin | baby tamarin | tamarin cubs |
| Jackal | female jackal | Puppy or baby jackal | Jackal puppies or cubs |
| Ermine | female stoat | baby stoat | baby stoat |
| Bison or European bison | A female bison, also called a cow, in colloquial speech - a bison. | A calf or a bison cub, in colloquial speech - a bison. | Calves or young bison, in colloquial speech - bison. |
| male bat | Bat | Puppy or baby bat | Puppies or baby bats |
| Snow leopard, irbis or snow leopard | Female snow leopard or a female snow leopard or a female snow leopard | Kitten or snow leopard cub or snow leopard cub or snow leopard cub | Kittens or snow leopard cubs, or snow leopard cubs, or snow leopard cubs |
| Jerboa | A female jerboa, colloquially you can sometimes meet a jerboa | Baby jerboa. Also on the Internet you can find the name - jerboa. This option can be considered colloquial. | Jerboa cubs, colloquially - jerboas. |
| Hamster | Female hamster, hamster. | A baby hamster, and colloquially - a hamster. | Hamster cubs, colloquially - hamsters. |
| Yak. The Tibetans call him g-yak. | Yak female. Tibetans call a female yak - dri. | Calf, baby yak or lamb. | Calves, baby yak or yak. |
| male heron | Heron | Heron chick | Heron chicks |
| Male gull or male gull. And no seagulls or seagulls! | Gull | Seagull chick, chabar (an outdated version from Dahl's dictionary). In colloquial speech, you can meet - tea. Also, a chick of a seagull is called - kavysh. This name is also applicable to goslings and ducklings, but it is used very rarely. | Seagull chicks, savory, kavysh. |
| A male pike, and in Ukraine a male pike is called a pike. | Pike | Shchurenok, pike cub, there is also a name pike. | Squirrels, pike cubs. In the fairy tale "At the command of the pike" the name of the pike is found. |
| Fenech or fennec fox or male fennec fox | fennec female | Fennec fox puppy or fennec cub | Fennec fox puppies or fennec cubs |
| male gazelle | Gazelle | Baby gazelle, colloquial version - gazelle | Gazelle cubs, colloquial version - gazelles |
| Parrot | Female parrot, colloquial version - parrot | Parrot chick, colloquial version - parrot, parrot | Parrot chicks, colloquial version - parrots |
| male echidna | Echidna | baby echidna, English language Echidna cubs are called the word puggle, which means “cute” or “cute” in Russian, and the name puggle is also a zoological name. In colloquial speech, you can find the name - viper. | Echidna cubs, in colloquial speech - vipers. |
| Platypus | A female platypus, colloquially a platypus. | Baby platypus. In colloquial speech, you can find the name - platypus, which is a diminutive of the name platypus. | Platypus cubs, in colloquial speech - platypuses. |
| Bullfinch, in the people they are called mockingbirds. | The female bullfinch, in colloquial speech - the bullfinch, among the people they also meet the name of the female snow maiden. | A bullfinch chick, in colloquial speech - a bullfinch. | Bullfinch chicks, colloquially - bullfinches. |
| Wren | female beetle | Kinglet chick | King chicks |
| Quail | Quail | quail chick | quail chicks |
| swift | Strizhikha - in colloquial speech. | Haircut - in colloquial speech. | Sheared - in colloquial speech. |
| Perch | female perch | Perch - in colloquial speech | perch |
The husband of a duck is what many jokingly call drakes, but not everyone can say with certainty exactly how they look and how exactly they differ from females. In some breeds of ducks, it is quite easy to distinguish a female from a male, but not in all cases these features are obvious, so it is difficult for beginner poultry farmers to find a male among the general flock. To do this, it is necessary to study some structural features of the body of ducks and drakes - we will talk about this today.
The male is commonly called a drake. This definition should not be confused with a separate breed or subspecies of poultry. This is just a term indicating the gender of an individual.
Male duck - drake
Females and males have some differences in appearance, by which they are determined:
The complexity of determining ducks and drakes only by body weight lies in the fact that the weight of females is not always less. First of all, it depends on the type of feeding and care for birds. Some female individuals are too well-fed, and in order not to confuse them with males, all sex determination methods must be applied in combination.
Important! You can determine the sex of a duck using a special ultrasonic device. To begin with, it is tuned to certain frequencies that birds of one sex or another cannot tolerate. When you turn on the device, they will begin to get restless.
There is one more no less effective method sex determination in birds - observation of behavior. Usually males do not try to go ahead of females, more often they are missed. Some drakes can behave very aggressively - the wayward character is manifested in the dominant individuals in the general flock.
Conflict situations mostly happen only between males, because females have a calmer disposition, they do not tend to fight with other individuals. Characteristic behavioral signs appear only at the age of 8-12 weeks - ducklings of either sex are also not prone to interspecific aggression.
However, even by such features, it is impossible to accurately determine the sex of a bird. In some cases, if the flock is formed incorrectly, the females can behave like drakes, and it will be most correct to determine the sex of the ducklings by sex, even before the resettlement of the birds.
Experienced farmers prefer to determine the sex of individuals precisely by gender, because this method is considered the most reliable. Thanks to obvious sexual differences, it is possible to find out the male or female identity of even daily chicks.
Table 1. detailed instructions by gender
| Step, No. | Description | A photo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | You need to take the bird and put it on its back on a flat surface. |  |
| 2 | Then you need to slightly pull the skin near the cloaca towards the sternum. |  |
| 3 | You need to take a close look. The drake has a small process called a vestigial penis. In females, two rounded outgrowths can be seen at this place. |  |
This method of determining sex seems quite simple, but a poultry farmer without relevant experience will not always be able to determine the drake by the cloaca. But over time, you can master this technique, after more than a dozen birds have been examined.
Not all farmers listen to the sounds that poultry makes. But it is worth noting that ducks are characterized not only by the quacking sound. Birds communicate information to each other with the following sounds:
With such signals, individuals communicate with each other, sometimes they sort things out. Females and drakes have a different structure of the trachea, so females can only quack, and males hiss, sometimes whistle. You can notice such features already on the 30-40th day of life.
Many ducks have individual breed characteristics that make it easy to distinguish a drake. We'll have to carefully examine the individual and observe the behavior.
Table 2. The difference between females and males of different breeds
| Breed | Distinctive features |
|---|---|
 | The drake has rounder feathers at the ends of the tail. |
 | Muscovy ducks (indoutok) have characteristic difference in the form of a reddish growth above the beak. In addition, spots are located on the side of the head. In females, these growths are quite light in color and the spots are barely noticeable. In addition, drakes have a larger physique. |
 | Drakes and females of the Beijing breed have white color pen, so on this basis they are not distinguished. In addition, there are only minimal differences in body weight between individuals - about 200-300 grams. Therefore, males are distinguished, as in the case of the Bashkir duck, by the structure of the tail feathers. |
 | It is these individuals that can be most easily distinguished by body weight. Because the difference in weight between the female and the male is 1.5-2 kilograms. In addition, the drake has stronger paws. |
 | recognize wild males pretty simple. Because they, unlike females, have a colorful plumage. And females, in turn, often have brown plumage. |
Probably, every poultry farmer knows that in order to achieve maximum productivity when growing birds, it is important to distinguish them in a timely manner by gender. It can be concluded that sex determination is necessary for the following reasons:
Males require enhanced nutrition for active growth, therefore, when compiling a diet, it will not be superfluous to know the gender of the birds. If ducks are bred for eggs, then it is females that are fed much more nutritious and varied.
The selection of breeding males is an important event on which the health of the brood and the overall productivity of the poultry farm will depend. To choose breeding male needed even among small chicks. Usually healthy individuals are active, they are already somewhat larger than females, have a good appetite and push weaker and smaller chicks away from the feeder.
Drakes are planted in a separate poultry house, starting from the age of 150-170 days. They reach puberty closer to 7 months (some breeds a little later), so it is recommended to choose males a few months older than females.
When choosing a drake for further breeding, you should pay attention to the following criteria:
In addition, some poultry farmers, when choosing a drake for breeding, are advised to pay attention to the color of the plumage. It is believed that purebred birds have a solid color (black, white, gray, blue, brown). While variegated feathers are a sign of numerous crosses.
Fertilized eggs can only be obtained by mating males and females, but individuals of some breeds may show little sexual activity (for example, musky ducks). The maximum fertilization of eggs is observed in the spring period of the year (more than 98%), and in summer it is significantly reduced (50%).
Usually drakes are used for breeding no more than three years in a row. After that, their sexual functions begin to decline, and the herd should be renewed.
Usually, all healthy males have obvious signs of sexual hunting, which is why they begin to “trample” females. The absence of such behavioral features often associated with the season ( estrus attenuated in autumn and winter). However, this process can be influenced by excessive weight gain or starvation, in which the male lacks vitamins.
Sometimes these signs are absent in females and males when forming a new herd, until they get used to each other. Therefore, you will have to wait some time for the drake to begin to show activity. If a young male is not interested in females for a long time, it is changed.
Drakes are grown for further breeding or for the purpose of obtaining meat. In both the first and second cases, birds need a balanced diet.
There are the following types of feed for males:
All these components must be present in the daily diet of birds. Their exact number will depend on the purpose of breeding individuals (for meat or for a tribe), as well as on the season (in summer, birds consume more green food).
Cereals are considered the basis of the diet of any poultry, and ducks in particular. They contain valuable nutrients, and they should be included in the feathered menu regardless of the season.
Benefit cereal crops for the body of birds:
Important! All grains are digested by the body waterfowl more than 80%, which is significantly higher than that of chickens.
Succulent feed is the main diet of poultry in summer period of the year. This allows you to significantly reduce the cost of grain, because often birds are released for independent walking in a clearing (it is better if it is near a reservoir).
Components of succulent feed:
Important! When feeding drakes for meat, birds should not be released too often for independent walking - this is how they waste energy and lose body weight.
Wild ducks often feed various insects, shellfish, others aquatic life. Therefore, it is allowed to introduce feed of animal origin into the diet of poultry:
Some farmers prefer to include dairy products in the feathered menu. This includes cottage cheese (low-fat) and whey.
Mineral supplements are necessary to normalize the work of the digestive tract in birds and to strengthen the skeleton, therefore, the following components are introduced into the diet of individuals:
Important! Mineral components must be given to individuals in limited quantities. Excess calcium will lead to problems with the digestive system.
To increase the profitability of the farm, it is important to know some of the nuances of keeping birds, and to distinguish them by gender. For the rest, proper nutrition will ensure maximum productivity of drakes.
