Thursday, April 28, 2011

Sexing


How's that for a blog title? Different anyway! What I have been pondering though is purely duck related. We have nine healthy ducklings who are growing quickly and I have been wondering how to tell the boys from the girls.


So I sent this family portrait to lovely Rosie in NSW,  and she quickly got back to me with her opinion.


"The 3 lovely fawns have no colour down the centre of each feather, and I've only ever seen these grow up to be drakes
.The 2 little girls at the back have coloured 'hoods' and pale bodies, I would say they are cinnamon.others (with the exception of the one duckling in the foreground) look to be cinnamon drakes, there claret breasts are starting to colour up, and their hoods are darker, heading to dark beetle green.
The little one in the front.. hmmmm... not sure, I suspect may be a drake, but might turn out to be silver duck!!
Also I think you can start to see some size differences, the boys will be taller, bigger etc
  They look nearly old enough to quack peep test. At 8 weeks, almost (99%) of ducklings who cant quack, never will, and are drakes.  So pick them up and make them squawk and listen to the noise they make, strong deep 
quack is a duck, higher squeak is a drake :)" 


Thanks Rosie!! If you are right, and it sounds like you know your ducks, then we have 6 or 7 drakes!! Oh boy. What's with the boy/girl ratio around here? It's all girls inside and boys outside. Crazy.


Anyway, as I've been stalking ducks in the garden I've also been enjoying my new $15 gumboots that I picked up at Coles yesterday, aren't they ace? Some other Daylesfordians must have discovered them too as when I went back later in the day they were all gone!


I've really got to stop wearing my every day shoes outside, 
chook/duck poo on a girls shoe can really
ruin her day. Well maybe not ruin, but it's not very pleasant....
anyway, my new boots are so comfy I really have no excuse.


Can you handle some more earth shattering bird related news? Hope you're sitting down for this one....guess who's laying eggs? Little, smooth, adorable, clean eggs? Yep, that big old fluff ball, Mama Chook! She disappeared for a little while this morning and after searching high & low I found her in the old dog kennel, nestled up on a pair of sweet little eggs. Her chicks were a bit horrified, poor babies. Anyway, I've taken her eggs away so she doesn't go all broody. After all she isn't going steady with anyone so.... she would have been sitting there forever.


April is almost over folks, isn't that crazy? How fast is this year going? Too fast. Lots to enjoy along the way though, like this new painting that I bought yesterday. It's been sitting in our local petrol station (strange but true), along with a handful of others, and I've been eying it off for a few weeks. The colours are much brighter in real life, this photo doesn't do it justice.  Locals will recognise it as our own gorgeous Wombat Hill.


 There was a lot of excitement at our little school today as several Hawthorn footy players turned up to do a clinic with the kids. Wow! Rosie really went for it! It was a lot of fun and I was really impressed with the players, they were so good with the kids.  Shame they weren't Tigers but oh well...:)

So another week has flown by, have you had a good one? Tomorrow night we are off to Phillippa's for a Royal Wedding get together, yay! I need to come up with a English style dish to take along...cucumber sandwiches? Scones? Any suggestions? Hope you have a happy Friday lovely friends, see you soon xo

10 comments:

Pomona said...

It has to be strawberry shortcake for a RW party - or Eton Mess. Eton Mess is quicker and easier but both are delicious and very English - email me if you need a recipe!

Pomona x

tea with lucy said...

catchy title. sexy boots.

i have a friends rosie too, who helps me with all my poultry related questions.

xo

Maxabella said...

I was settling in to enjoy a more raunchy post than I'm used to over at your place... ah well! Great laugh!

How clever is Rosie to know all that from a photo!

I always enjoy your posts. Such a busy but gentle life you lead, I really admire it. x

teddybearswednesday said...

damn I love you beck, alway straight to the point, best blog title ever.
I found it truly fascinating Rosie's email. What an amazing thing to do. did you have fun making your ducks sqwalk. I think it's a scream too the drakes make the high noise.
loving dropping by as always to your part of the world Beck.
big love
xoxo
Yorkshire Puddings? Crumpets, or toad in hole.

Maria Rose said...

Well I sure learned a lot about ducks! Who knew?
Cute boots too!

Emily said...

What lovely photos of your world Beck.

Sue said...

Enjoy your royal wedding party! How exciting that your ducks are growing up - I never knew that was how you told the sexes, it seems daddy duck took over with the choice of boys (lol). Does that mean your keeping the girl ducks then?

Catherine said...

I really enjoyed learning about ducks and drakes, Beck - thank you! I do love those gumboots too (but I'm guessing Coles probably don't sell them in the suburbs...)

Jodie said...

You made me laugh bec. I recall my dad heading into the yard saying "he was off to sex the chickens". My then 12 yr old nearly had a fit !!!
I love your ducks.

Emily said...

Beck, I'm not sure about Kentucky. They are saying around 300 dead so far. So scary.