If you are interested in raising ducks, one important thing you will need to know is how to tell the difference between male and female ducks, also called gendering. It is much easier to gender ducks once their adult feathers have come in and they begin to vocalize, as the quacks of female ducks are much louder than the males and the males have curlier tail feathers, but gendering chicks is possible through a method called vent sexing or vent gendering. Vent gendering can be harmful to the duck, so do it only if you absolutely cannot wait until the duck is older to determine its sex.
Instructions
1. Hold the duckling in your hand so that it is on its back. Turn it so that the head is closest to you and its tail is pointing away from you. Look under the tail to identify the vent---the small opening through which ducks lay eggs and defecate.
2. Holding the tail down with your fingers, use your thumbs to press on either side of the vent. Be very gentle in pressing near the vent. The duck may secrete materials first, which you can wipe away. With constant, gentle pressure, the duck's sexual organs will emerge through the vent. Male ducks will exhibit a penis through the vent, and females will show folds of pink tissue. According to Gail Damerow, the author of Barnyard in Your Backyard, if the vent refuses to open, slide your finger into the vent and allow it to clench and then relax around your finger. The duck will then exhibit its organs.
3. Remove your thumbs from the vent area and gently turn the duck over and place it on the ground.
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