How to Tell the Gender of a Baby Duck

There are three ways to determine a duck’s gender: looking at physical features, checking the reproductive organs, or by their behavior and physical features once they mature

Looking at physical features

The most common way to tell the gender of a duckling is by looking at its physical features. Male ducklings, or drakes, are typically larger than female ducklings, or hens. They also have longer necks and heads, and their bills are usually thicker.

Checking the reproductive organs

Another way to tell the gender of a duckling is by checking its reproductive organs. Male ducklings have a penis, while female ducklings have a cloaca. The cloaca is a single opening that serves as the reproductive, digestive, and urinary tract. To check the reproductive organs, you will need to gently hold the duckling upside down and look for the opening. If the opening is round, the duckling is female. If the opening is slit-like, the duckling is male.

Waiting for maturity

Male ducks, or drakes, may also develop curled tail feathers, bright coloration, and a deeper, more raspy quack. In contrast, female ducks, or hens, will retain shorter tail feathers, have less vibrant coloration, and make a softer quack sound.