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Duck newbie…lots of questions

post #1 of 10
2/22/12 at 8:16pm
Thread Starter 
Hi everybody.

I'm getting a few ducklings from TSC next week and I have few questions.
I'm wanting to get either Rouen or Pekin.
*Do either of these breeds have a good tendency to brood?
*When do they begin to lay?
*can I feed them non-medicated chick starter and grower? (its the only feed, beside layer my feed store has)
*what about brooder temps, how warm should it be?
And
*how old before they can be moved outside?

Thank you all and sorry for the question overload!

¤~~Meredith~~¤

mom to 4 dogs(Shadow,Koda,Skyuka,Maya) 1 cat(clay), 7 buff orps, 1 barred cochin, 3 EEs, 3 salmon faverolles, 2 black frizzle cohins, 4 blue silkies, 2 light brahmas, 1 silver laced wyandotte, 5 mallard ducklings and........................more to come

 

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¤~~Meredith~~¤

mom to 4 dogs(Shadow,Koda,Skyuka,Maya) 1 cat(clay), 7 buff orps, 1 barred cochin, 3 EEs, 3 salmon faverolles, 2 black frizzle cohins, 4 blue silkies, 2 light brahmas, 1 silver laced wyandotte, 5 mallard ducklings and........................more to come

 

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post #2 of 10
2/22/12 at 8:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wildriverswolf90 View Post

Hi everybody.
I'm getting a few ducklings from TSC next week and I have few questions.
I'm wanting to get either Rouen or Pekin. 
*Do either of these breeds have a good tendency to brood? Not sure about Rouens but Pekins are not great brooders. 
*When do they begin to lay? Around 6 months. 
*can I feed them non-medicated chick starter and grower? (its the only feed, beside layer my feed store has) Yes 
*what about brooder temps, how warm should it be? I keep mine in the high 90s the first week. 
And
*how old before they can be moved outside? Depends on your climate but as early as 2 weeks in some states
Thank you all and sorry for the question overload!


 

2 mallards 1 runner 1 pekin mix 1 guinea, 3 geese (RIP Lily and Little Goose), 2 Great Danes, 2 High Content WolfDogs, 1 Stray Chiweenie, 1 Ferret, 1 New Zealand Buck, RIP Baby Girl   and some fish smile.png

 

Dreams are hopeless aspirations in hopes of coming true. Believe in yourself. The rest is up to me and you ~ Left Eye 

 

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2 mallards 1 runner 1 pekin mix 1 guinea, 3 geese (RIP Lily and Little Goose), 2 Great Danes, 2 High Content WolfDogs, 1 Stray Chiweenie, 1 Ferret, 1 New Zealand Buck, RIP Baby Girl   and some fish smile.png

 

Dreams are hopeless aspirations in hopes of coming true. Believe in yourself. The rest is up to me and you ~ Left Eye 

 

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post #3 of 10
2/22/12 at 9:01pm
Thread Starter 

Duck newbie

One more question. I will have a small pen to lock them up in at night. But the space where they will spend most their time is in a fenced in yard attached to my open stall barn. The fence is only 3ft high and I know pekin and rouen won't fly out but what about Cayugas and swedish blues, can they fly at all?

ETA: wrong breed put down.
Edited by wildriverswolf90 - 2/22/12 at 9:55pm

¤~~Meredith~~¤

mom to 4 dogs(Shadow,Koda,Skyuka,Maya) 1 cat(clay), 7 buff orps, 1 barred cochin, 3 EEs, 3 salmon faverolles, 2 black frizzle cohins, 4 blue silkies, 2 light brahmas, 1 silver laced wyandotte, 5 mallard ducklings and........................more to come

 

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¤~~Meredith~~¤

mom to 4 dogs(Shadow,Koda,Skyuka,Maya) 1 cat(clay), 7 buff orps, 1 barred cochin, 3 EEs, 3 salmon faverolles, 2 black frizzle cohins, 4 blue silkies, 2 light brahmas, 1 silver laced wyandotte, 5 mallard ducklings and........................more to come

 

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post #4 of 10
2/22/12 at 9:51pm

I would be more worried about something getting in a 3 ft fence than the ducks getting out.

 

A really great book that's full of info about ducks is Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks.  It's written by Dave Holderread of Holderread Waterfowl.  http://holderreadfarm.com/

 

You can buy the book on Amazon.com, too.  I just bought the new edition.  I've had ducks off and on since I was a kid, but I still refer to this book when I have a question.

 

A good website for comparing breed characteristics is on Metzer Farm's site:  http://www.metzerfarms.com/DuckBreedComparison.cfm

 

My Welsh Harlequin made her own nest out of grass and sat on it last year.

Ducks:  Ancona, Welsh Harlequin and Black Swedish

Chickens:  Serama

Geese:  Sebastopol

 

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Ducks:  Ancona, Welsh Harlequin and Black Swedish

Chickens:  Serama

Geese:  Sebastopol

 

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post #5 of 10
2/22/12 at 10:00pm
Thread Starter 

Duck newbie

Thank you. They will locked in a secure pen at night and my LGD mix spends her days in that yard with my chickens. They don't have to be good broodies, I just want a breed that won't fly away.

¤~~Meredith~~¤

mom to 4 dogs(Shadow,Koda,Skyuka,Maya) 1 cat(clay), 7 buff orps, 1 barred cochin, 3 EEs, 3 salmon faverolles, 2 black frizzle cohins, 4 blue silkies, 2 light brahmas, 1 silver laced wyandotte, 5 mallard ducklings and........................more to come

 

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¤~~Meredith~~¤

mom to 4 dogs(Shadow,Koda,Skyuka,Maya) 1 cat(clay), 7 buff orps, 1 barred cochin, 3 EEs, 3 salmon faverolles, 2 black frizzle cohins, 4 blue silkies, 2 light brahmas, 1 silver laced wyandotte, 5 mallard ducklings and........................more to come

 

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post #6 of 10
2/23/12 at 6:55am

I've heard of Cayugas being able to sometimes get off the ground for awhile but they'd really need a running start and it was usually hens. 

2 mallards 1 runner 1 pekin mix 1 guinea, 3 geese (RIP Lily and Little Goose), 2 Great Danes, 2 High Content WolfDogs, 1 Stray Chiweenie, 1 Ferret, 1 New Zealand Buck, RIP Baby Girl   and some fish smile.png

 

Dreams are hopeless aspirations in hopes of coming true. Believe in yourself. The rest is up to me and you ~ Left Eye 

 

Reply

2 mallards 1 runner 1 pekin mix 1 guinea, 3 geese (RIP Lily and Little Goose), 2 Great Danes, 2 High Content WolfDogs, 1 Stray Chiweenie, 1 Ferret, 1 New Zealand Buck, RIP Baby Girl   and some fish smile.png

 

Dreams are hopeless aspirations in hopes of coming true. Believe in yourself. The rest is up to me and you ~ Left Eye 

 

Reply
post #7 of 10
2/23/12 at 7:06am
Thread Starter 

Duck newbie

Thanks!

¤~~Meredith~~¤

mom to 4 dogs(Shadow,Koda,Skyuka,Maya) 1 cat(clay), 7 buff orps, 1 barred cochin, 3 EEs, 3 salmon faverolles, 2 black frizzle cohins, 4 blue silkies, 2 light brahmas, 1 silver laced wyandotte, 5 mallard ducklings and........................more to come

 

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¤~~Meredith~~¤

mom to 4 dogs(Shadow,Koda,Skyuka,Maya) 1 cat(clay), 7 buff orps, 1 barred cochin, 3 EEs, 3 salmon faverolles, 2 black frizzle cohins, 4 blue silkies, 2 light brahmas, 1 silver laced wyandotte, 5 mallard ducklings and........................more to come

 

Reply
post #8 of 10
2/23/12 at 9:50am

Pekins are way better layers than rouens, but they do not generally go broody (although last year I had one of my pekins hatched 8 out of 9 eggs). Although, rouens are not very good layers but they do go broody.

My sister thinks I'm crazy, but she's just jealous :D. she's got one dog, Danger. I've three cats, Dyllen, Star, and Siam. I've four ducks, Peanut, Ruebix, Peyson and Willow and Two ducklings named Anerea and Avery. I have one chicken named Dayday and two chicks, Maroon and Lucky. Last, I have 13 Buff Orpington and 2 lakenvelder orpington eggs in the bator. We've got my sister WAY outnumbered.

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My sister thinks I'm crazy, but she's just jealous :D. she's got one dog, Danger. I've three cats, Dyllen, Star, and Siam. I've four ducks, Peanut, Ruebix, Peyson and Willow and Two ducklings named Anerea and Avery. I have one chicken named Dayday and two chicks, Maroon and Lucky. Last, I have 13 Buff Orpington and 2 lakenvelder orpington eggs in the bator. We've got my sister WAY outnumbered.

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post #9 of 10
2/23/12 at 10:27am
Thread Starter 

Duck newbie

Thank you! I am gonna get a Rouen drake, a Rouen hen and a Pekin hen!

¤~~Meredith~~¤

mom to 4 dogs(Shadow,Koda,Skyuka,Maya) 1 cat(clay), 7 buff orps, 1 barred cochin, 3 EEs, 3 salmon faverolles, 2 black frizzle cohins, 4 blue silkies, 2 light brahmas, 1 silver laced wyandotte, 5 mallard ducklings and........................more to come

 

Reply

¤~~Meredith~~¤

mom to 4 dogs(Shadow,Koda,Skyuka,Maya) 1 cat(clay), 7 buff orps, 1 barred cochin, 3 EEs, 3 salmon faverolles, 2 black frizzle cohins, 4 blue silkies, 2 light brahmas, 1 silver laced wyandotte, 5 mallard ducklings and........................more to come

 

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post #10 of 10
2/23/12 at 2:28pm

Roens are broody and usually start sitting the yr after you get them. Mine have always hatched 1 batch of 20+ once a yr but last yr I had a Roen that sat 2x. I don't know why but I have never had an issue with predators with the roens


Edited by SportTees - 2/23/12 at 2:31pm

I 'am practical...I have raised quail, chickens and ducks. I started out doing everything perfectly by the book but have learnt thru trial and error that there are easier more practical ways to do things.

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I 'am practical...I have raised quail, chickens and ducks. I started out doing everything perfectly by the book but have learnt thru trial and error that there are easier more practical ways to do things.

Reply
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