You cannot tell whether a mallard is a male or female until they are around 12 months old.


This is an Eclipse drake, meaning it hasn't matured yet...I guess you could call it a teenager duck. hehe. If your little ducky starts to look like this as it matures, it is a drake (male). A mature Mallard drake looks like this.
You can tell if a drake is mature, not only by its color, but by the number of curls on its tail. If the drake has three curls...it is mature.

If your ducky starts to look like this as it matures

then it is a hen (female) Mallard.

I am sorry to hear about Pickle's sibling! I am sure Pudge is in Ducky Heaven swimming in a HUGE pond full of fishes and other ducks.