Duck Breed Focus - Pekin

[sumi]

The Pekin is a dual purpose breed from China that was brought to the United States by James Palmer in 1873. It soon became a very popular, dual purpose breed of duck because of its great size, egg production and friendly nature. The Pekin breed today is the most popular commercial duck breed in the United states, with around 95% of duck meat consumed in the US being Pekin.

The Pekin is a very popular choice for meat production as it reaches 8-11 pounds in just 15-18 weeks. And is also a good layer and will rarely ever try brooding, which is good for someone who wants eggs and not ducklings. Pekin ducks are less prone to broodiness than other duck breeds and they are more likely to abandon their nest before their eggs hatch. Hens can be used to sit on the duck eggs, or they can be incubated artificially. On average a Pekin will lay 200-250 eggs per year.

Pekins make great pets as they are a very friendly and docile breed. They are very intelligent and are capable of forming lifelong strong and loyal bonds with humans, and often then prefer human company over the company of other ducks. Pekin ducklings start off a bright yellow color and get lighter as they start developing feathers at around 2-3 weeks of age.

Pekin’s usually mature and will start laying large white eggs around 25 weeks.

Details:
Origin: China
Purpose: Dual
Broodiness: Seldom
Average weight: Male - 8-9 lb, Female - 10-12 lb


















All pics by @holm25


BYC Reviews:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/pekin

Breed Discussions:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/742668/pekin-duck-club/0_30
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/726109/post-your-pekin-duck-pics-here/0_30

Do you own Pekins? Are you a Pekin breeder? If so, please reply to this thread with the your thoughts and experiences, including:

· What made you decide to get this breed?
· Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
· What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
· Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

 

[Teri313]

I had a pair of Pekins that were really in love with each other. The female laid fertilized eggs all the time, but always abandoned them. Had no interest at all. Just wanted to go play around with her man. I also have Sophie, a 21 year old African goose who had no males (and no interest in them), but laid eggs all the time. Once a year, she would lay a bunch and refuse to come off them. I would eventually have to intervene and get her off the nest and get rid of the eggs. Anyway, a few years ago, when she was sitting on her eggs and the Pekins were producing and abandoning, I started putting their eggs under Sophie and taking hers away. Sure enough, she hatched two of them. After all those years of no babies, she was finally a mom and so happy! She took great care of them. Here they are.





Their bio parents came to take a look, but she doesn't want them anywhere near her babies!

 

[Tevyes Dad]

Great Huge eggs!


Social


Outspoken


And sweet!

 

[IzziesChickies]

I have a trio of Pekins, I've had the male since he was a duckling and the two females for six months. Their original owner couldn't keep them any longer so I took them in. Now they lay me MASSIVE eggs. They are gaining on my muscovys eggs size. So happy to have them

 

[Teri313]

Quote:
Hi NorthFLChick - Yes, they can get up there in age. She was 5 years old when I got her and I've had her for over 16 years now. She had been somebody's pet, then they gave her to a neighboring farm. I got her because someone dumped a Toulouse goose in the farm pond across the road from us, so I took her in. We named her Henri. She was super sweet and followed me everywhere, and I realized she needed a friend, so I ended up at that other farm looking for a companion for her, and there was Sophie with a bunch of other geese. The farmer's girlfriend felt kind of bad that she had been a pet and was now headed for the freezer with the others, so she told me to take her. They were great friends, but Henri became ill and died within a year. So during all these years, Sophie has had a variety of geese and ducks as companions, but she has outlasted all of them. She's a tough old girl!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 2 Pekin ducks, both female and noisy. They are free ranging. Unfortunately, I can't touch them! They were given to me back in June. They had never been fooled with, so now if I catch them I have to use a bird net, very stressful for both the ducks and me. Any tips on how to make these birds tame? They are put into their enclosure each night, they follow me in but won't get within my reach. I have tried putting their treat, peas, in my hand to entice them in, but no doing!

I have the ducks as a fun thing to do. They are a hoot to watch! Always doing something comical!

My little ladies lay one egg/day each! We end up giving eggs away. Since they are unfertilized (no drake) it is so much easier. I have one duck that quite often lays a double yoked egg, it will be HUGE!

Thanks for posting things about ducks, I always find out something new!

Herding them into their pen and into their house would be less stressful,I do this when I have to pick up one of my Muscovy's or geese once I herd them inside it is much easier to walk them into a corner and pick them up. ducks learn to herd pretty fast. Just always remember to do anything with them slowly. you may win them over eventually with treats just start out by tossing them out to them then closing the gap slowly till they are close enough to eat out of your hand, it may take several months to accomplish but not using the net to catch them may help them warm up quicker too. Pekins are awesome egg layers..

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have herded them, but mostly they show me where they want to go! To their food! I agree that herding them is less stressful but sometimes I need to be able to get ahold of them. Checking feet, injuries, etc.

I have tried to win them over with treats, peas, they love them, as long as I throw them in the water or on the ground. If I offer the peas in my hand they scream and run away. I have been trying this for 6 months! I am about to think they don't like me!

Will they continue to lay through the winter? We are having to give the eggs away, we can't eat that many! But they sure are good!

Do you keep their food close to where they sleep? inside their pen? one way to get them too is keep feed inside a fenced area then you walk in and close the gate. . I know what your saying I still use this same tactic if I need to check one for foot problems or injuries It isn't something that happens over night but if your consistent they will eventually under stand what your wanting. My girls are still upset with me because I just had to pick up each one 6 and clip one of their wings, so they wouldn't fly off. They hold a grudge for quit sometime lol

 

[Tevyes Dad]

What breed of duck is the black one? It looks like a black pekin.

Sorry I took so long, I was on the road the last two days. In the book, there are three black ducks:

Big black duck: Cayuga
Small black duck: Runner
and Big black duck with white chest: Swedish

I want to reinforce what Miss Lydia said about herding. While they are still hard to get remember, they have a great built in handle, their neck

While you shouldn't squeeze their necks or pick them up by their necks, it is a part that is easy to quickly but lightly grab with one hand and just hold them them long enough to get your other hand near them. I had to do this in the beginning with my ducks. Now I can herd them to a corner some place and they will usually let me catch them with very little protest. Also to get them used to you, if you sit on the ground and feed them peas or meal worms or whatever drives them crazy. Get to where they hang close and you throw treats at them, then get them to take a treat from your outstretched palm, then bring your palm in closer eventually you will get them to feed from your palm against your body (which means they are stretching over your legs. Then occasionally grab one and hold it in your lap and let it feed (gorge) out of the cup the treats are in, for a few seconds, then let it go and let it walk out of your lap and repeat. Slowly increase the time to a minute or two. After that, it depends on the duck... some will take a lot more and some won't. I still have a few ducks that won't eat treats while being held, but most of mine I can cradle on their backs and they will still eat treats. (But none of them EVER volunteers to be picked up.)

 

[Duckie doodle]

The Pekin is a dual purpose breed from China that was brought to the United States by James Palmer in 1873. It soon became a very popular, dual purpose breed of duck because of its great size, egg production and friendly nature. The Pekin breed today is the most popular commercial duck breed in the United states, with around 95% of duck meat consumed in the US being Pekin.

The Pekin is a very popular choice for meat production as it reaches 8-11 pounds in just 15-18 weeks. And is also a good layer and will rarely ever try brooding, which is good for someone who wants eggs and not ducklings. Pekin ducks are less prone to broodiness than other duck breeds and they are more likely to abandon their nest before their eggs hatch. Hens can be used to sit on the duck eggs, or they can be incubated artificially. On average a Pekin will lay 200-250 eggs per year.

Pekins make great pets as they are a very friendly and docile breed. They are very intelligent and are capable of forming lifelong strong and loyal bonds with humans, and often then prefer human company over the company of other ducks. Pekin ducklings start off a bright yellow color and get lighter as they start developing feathers at around 2-3 weeks of age.

Pekin’s usually mature and will start laying large white eggs around 25 weeks.

Details:
Origin: China
Purpose: Dual
Broodiness: Seldom
Average weight: Male - 8-9 lb, Female - 10-12 lb


















All pics by @holm25


BYC Reviews:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/pekin

Breed Discussions:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/742668/pekin-duck-club/0_30
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/726109/post-your-pekin-duck-pics-here/0_30

Do you own Pekins? Are you a Pekin breeder? If so, please reply to this thread with the your thoughts and experiences, including:

· What made you decide to get this breed?
· Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
· What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
· Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

Posted on Cayuga breed, but I have a assortment of breeds. I have 2 pekin. I enjoy this breed. They are silly and have alot of personailty. My pekin are mainly pets now. I showed my jumbo pekin and he is a indoor duck.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have two Pekin females currently that were hatched the Tuesday before Easter this year. A normal and a Jumbo. The Jumbo is one ofy favorites in the flock. Inused to have a normal Pekin about 10nyears ago too until some dogs wiped out our first duck flock