Info Needed About Ducks Mating & Egg Fertilization

Janay

Chirping
6 Years
Feb 25, 2013
115
3
81
Cape Cod, MA
My Coop
My Coop
Ok, so I am a newbie to ducks. I have 4 Khaki Ducks and 1 Khaki drake and 2 Pekin ducks and 1 Pekin drake (that I will be rehoming very soon). They are all around 5 months old. My Khaki drake has been trying to mate with the ducks but unsuccessfully since he has not been mature enough. Today was the first time I saw his penis, so I guess he is now mature enough. But the ducks have not yet begun laying. So I have a lot of questions:

1. When do you think my girls will start laying? What do I need to do to prepare for eggs?
2. How often will my drake mate and will all of my duck's eggs be fertile?
3. Can you eat fertile duck eggs?
4. I have heard that Pekins and Khakis are not the best mothers; will I need to incubate the eggs if I want them to hatch?
5. My plan is the eat my ducks eggs until next spring and then incubate them and hope they hatch; will that work?
6. What should I keep an eye out for regarding health or other problems or complications?
7. Will I need to feed the ducks differently once they begin to lay? Layer feed? Wheat? What about the drake?
8. How often to Khakis and Pekins lay? Every day? Every other? Do they lay in nesting boxes? What time of day do they lay?

I appreciate any and all thoughts and info. Thank you!
 
Ok, so I am a newbie to ducks. I have 4 Khaki Ducks and 1 Khaki drake and 2 Pekin ducks and 1 Pekin drake (that I will be rehoming very soon). They are all around 5 months old. My Khaki drake has been trying to mate with the ducks but unsuccessfully since he has not been mature enough. Today was the first time I saw his penis, so I guess he is now mature enough. But the ducks have not yet begun laying. So I have a lot of questions:

1. When do you think my girls will start laying? What do I need to do to prepare for eggs? My runners started between 16 and 22 weeks…no special prep necessary, probably. Mine made their own nests from bedding, or ignored nest boxes
2. How often will my drake mate and will all of my duck's eggs be fertile? Drakes have a reputation for mating quite a bit, but if there are more than six females that could reduce the number of fertile eggs - looks like you would be okay. At the same time, some ducks and drakes don't hit it off.
3. Can you eat fertile duck eggs? Yes
4. I have heard that Pekins and Khakis are not the best mothers; will I need to incubate the eggs if I want them to hatch? It is up to the individual duck. Some make fine mothers - you just cannot count on it. And some duck mothers kill hatchlings. Strange.
5. My plan is the eat my ducks eggs until next spring and then incubate them and hope they hatch; will that work? Sounds like a good plan
6. What should I keep an eye out for regarding health or other problems or complications? For the ducks? Wow. Limping, lethargy, coughing, foamy eyes, staggering, are the first ones that come to mind. And protect them from predators. That is huge.
7. Will I need to feed the ducks differently once they begin to lay? Layer feed? Wheat? What about the drake? Layer feed for laying ducks, free choice oyster shell on the side. There are some who feed all ducks layer, some use a flock raiser, with free choice oyster shell.
8. How often to Khakis and Pekins lay? Every day? Every other? Do they lay in nesting boxes? What time of day do they lay? Some lay every day, Khakis more often than Pekins generally, especially as they get older they lay less in cooler seasons. Some use nest boxes, many do not. Usually early morning till about 9 or so.

I appreciate any and all thoughts and info. Thank you!
 
Lol, Amiga answered, it just looks a little fruity since the response is all in the quote box too. My birds (3 females) all started laying around 5 months, and two of them seem to breed with our male pekin pretty consistently. Never had any issues eating the eggs, since fertilized doesn't mean much if the mother ducks aren't sitting on them. Just collect every day, and no problems there!
 
Sunnyfishy,
Hahahah, yeah, I am a bit slow; didn't even notice!
Thanks for the answers. I actually got my first egg this morning!!!!!!!!!! Super excited! And I unfortunately just bought a 50 lb bag of starter grower... But I guess I could get some layer and mix it in 50/50? And oyster shell; or could I use dried crushed egg shell? And wheat I guess for my drake, from what I read. Thanks again!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom