# How to tell Mallards from Rouen (day old ducklings)



## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

So DH (not sure I am quite ready) came home with 4 little ducklings to replace the 8 that were killed last week....
He bought the last 4 ( I am not sure he even asked, child wanted swedish and these are dark brown striped, so I am sure he thought it was close match)...

they look like mallards to me ( just read up on the whole mallard laws, not pleased with having to clip a toe or wingtip to ID them from wild, plus whats the point of raising up a bird thats just going to migrate away from you anyway)...


I was told this:
Rouens have two black stripes on their face, one across their eye and one just under their eye. Mallards only have one eye stripe, across their eye. You can tell by the stripes from day olds.

Anyone know if this is true? Cause I checked and the set my DH just brought home have 2-- and I would prefer Rouen....


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

IDK about where you live, but here in MO the mallards have their toes clipped as soon as they hatch, 
right as the trays are pulled from the incubator.
They do not leave the hatchery w/o that being done.


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

I think its a Tractor Supply thing - not the best source... I know.... *but thats who has the ducklings right now...


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

Huh,
I just called the Tractor supply and the Hatchery (forgot the name but its 800-451-5603) and neither one claims to know anything about having to mark Mallard ducklings-- and neither Does this! 

Not good. we are in Northern CA btw...


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

Hey all update, 
but the ducklings are about 6 weeks old now they are all brown, does this mean that they are all females? (some are def quacking, but its hard to tell who is doing what)....


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

At six weeks color isn't definitive, quacking is. Get a pen together, put them in it. Handle them one at a time and mark (leg band?) the ones that quack. Of course pictures are ALWAYS useful, right?


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

GrannyCarol said:


> At six weeks color isn't definitive, quacking is. Get a pen together, put them in it. Handle them one at a time and mark (leg band?) the ones that quack. Of course pictures are ALWAYS useful, right?


Maybe later on pics.... have finish bleaching out my decomination pen (ie my garage parking space)--

also a query about the sounds, are males mute? because we have one mute , a bunch that make that raspy whistling sound, and some that def quack....
...


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Males are not mute, they make the raspy/whistling sound, the females quack. Your "mute" duck is likely just a quiet duck of either sex that doesn't have much to say, but I don't really know! 

BTW, are they solid brown? Or brown with streaking/speckling? Just curious as to breed ID. Are they huge or tiny? You should easily be able to tell a Mallard (3 lbs soaking wet) from a Rouen (probably at least 5 lbs by now). There should be some hints of differentiation between the males and females, though if they are solid brown maybe not so much. They won't have adult colors until after 8 weeks when they start to molt into their first real plumage. By 12 weeks, there will be no question, but I think you'll know by then!


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

GrannyCarol said:


> Males are not mute, they make the raspy/whistling sound, the females quack. Your "mute" duck is likely just a quiet duck of either sex that doesn't have much to say, but I don't really know!
> 
> BTW, are they solid brown? Or brown with streaking/speckling? Just curious as to breed ID. Are they huge or tiny? You should easily be able to tell a Mallard (3 lbs soaking wet) from a Rouen (probably at least 5 lbs by now). There should be some hints of differentiation between the males and females, though if they are solid brown maybe not so much. They won't have adult colors until after 8 weeks when they start to molt into their first real plumage. By 12 weeks, there will be no question, but I think you'll know by then!


They are all solid brown, one has a stripe of white coming in at the bottom of its wings, one, the only one with a good quack has a white stripe around its neck!
Hmmm there is a fair amount of raspy, whistling sounds-- we have 3 ages all mixed into together-- 2 8 week old runners, 3 7 week old runners this set of 6 week olds, and then 2 4 wk olds (1 khaki campbell, 1 swedish)-- and they all look to be about the same size to me!

Well I am bout to go out to do chores, will take some pics, 
Just for you Granny Carol!!!


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I like pictures!


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

GrannyCarol said:


> I like pictures!


Dang- took pics, blurry images but a couple we got a hold of.. but having problems downloading them off my phone and to the computer...


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

sorry GC, but my pic app on my cell phone seems to have crashed and am avoiding calling my provider to restart.. ( I hate the phone menus and waiting, its such nice weather)...

so no pics anytime soon...

but good news-- the "mallards or rouen" even though a few weeks behind the runner ducks in age are already the same size (6 weeks or so?), and much bulkier...

so they are probabley Rouen?

and all brown too , but some with blue stripe on their wing feathers against the white stripe...


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