Drake or duck?

[DUCK_GARDENER]

Hi, I am new to the forum. I have loads of questions, but what is driving me nuts is the not knowing.
I am trying to figure out if my muscovies are drake or duck. I understand that if, when viewed in profile,  they are large brested they should be male and if they have a belly they should be female...But what does that actually look like. So far I have 2 new muscovies, my first. They are pictued under general/ DUCK_GARDENER photos! I went to a different local park than I normally go to to see if I could find any muscovies to compare them to. No luck, but I did find several varieties of geese and pekin ducks. The white pekins had the curl feather as well as bulging brests that almost seem to unbalance them:Is this the large breast that is refered to with the muscovie or is it less pronounced in them. I got to where I could even tell the younger males from the female as they didn't yet have the curl, but had the bulging breast.
I have not found a website that shows difinitave pics of the male and female in profile to illistrate the difference. And although I am sure that if I had someone to show it to me that I would be able to pick it out, but there is not anyone around who has the time to show me (without a language barrier thet is, and yes I know... how I can have lived in CA for 39 years and not have learned spanish is amazing!) . The point will even be moot in 2 weeks when I pick up the drake/duck pair and can see the difference for myself, But I think the not knowing will drive me batty!
Does anyone have definitive pics of young drakes and young ducks in profile to illistrate the Difference. Would they be willing to post them here on this site for everyone, and me, to see? I think that it would help alot of people. Also there is something about the time of curuncling and the seconary feather...anyone have pics of that, too? I know that I would really appreciate them.

[rollyard]

Hi DUCK_GARDENER

Since no one has answered this from your Country, thought a little help from Down-Under wouldn't go astray.  I have put pics of a young white drakelet & Duck (approx 5.5months) old in my Gallery & will put them here if/when approved.

Young drakes (drakelets) first!
-feather later than young ducks, particularly wing, shoulder & back feathers
-begin to overtake the ducks in size by about eight weeks (roughly)
-have much larger feet, quite noticable from approx six weeks
-look more leggier than the ducks
-lose facial feathers earlier & more rapidly than the young ducks (depending on strain)
-usually develop more caruncling & have larger tubercle (lump on upper bill) than the young ducks

Young ducks; pretty well much the opposite to the drakelets naturally
-grow wing feathers earlier, feather out generally earlier
-finer in features eg head, legs, feet, & smaller in size
-less leggier looking generally (more substance underneath)
-retain facial feathering a little longer, slower to clear
-smoother facial caruncling, less of it, much smaller tubercle.

This is a general guideline only;  different strains can vary quite largely on different points.  Sexing young birds from the same clutch is often easier & more reliable than when trying to compare birds of different ages.

Also, following link may help http://www.australianmuscovy.com/index/index.php?topic=17.0

Hope this helps

rollyard  

[Cathy]

Here's something I put up with regards to determining gender, it was just a quick write up and not complete.  I do have one or two photos but I do not believe they're on my site and I'd have to find them.  Rollyard, I'll check to see if there are any additional photos needing approved.  Haven't been online in a few days, they were all approved last I checked, though.

http://www.muscovyduckcentral.com/gender.html

[DUCK_GARDENER]

Rollyard, You rock! Thank you so much. It is obvoius now. Beautiful birds, by the way. 'Down under' help very appreciated! Bet your pics help a lot of newbies tell the duck/drake difference!
Cathy, Your info is so welcome. I didn't trust myself to 'guess' right. You are amazing! I thought that Smokey was older, But was just begining to suspect that Koko was just past fuzzy stage. Koko may be a drake, as his/her wings had not yet been clipped at the farm where we got her/him.I will try to get the dh to hold Koko's wings open so that I can take a pic of the feathers on tehm and send it to you.  I could not tell a size difference as I do not know how old she/he is to compare koko with Smokey. The kids love that smokey is'lavender' as my daughter's middle name is 'Violet', so she feels attached to Smokey. 
Thank you so much for all your help and time. I really appreciate it. We all love the birds so much already! It makes me feel better to know something about them. Once again, thank you so much!
DUCK_GARDENER