First time duck owner

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have two geese and four ducks bought from just out of eggs they are as tight a family as you could find. both ducks and geese are very social and should never be kept single. You better believe they will move to that big pond you will have to fence them in. Watch out for dogs and foxs I have lost a goose and ducks to both. Good luck to you if you want to call me my phone is 850 364 9209

Welcome to BYC

I think I adore my Geese and Ducks most out of our flocks here. Turkey poults are pretty sweet too, tho!

 

[Lynn Manes]

Both of my girls r laying their eggs in the new box now! Found the ducks egg in there this morning and chick pea laid hers in there a little bit ago! My girls r sooo smart! Even the banties have been going in there so maybe mama will start laying again soon! She has 10 boxes all to herself that shes not using! Lol!

Congratulations on all the egg laying going on. Can you tell me how long your Mama hasn't laid eggs? My mama and her sister stopped laying after the ducklings hatched and that was several months ago. I don't know if that is normal or not. I don't know how old my mama and her sister are as we didn't raise them ourselves, and don't know how many years a duck will lay eggs.

 

[season1223]

Congratulations on all the egg laying going on. Can you tell me how long your Mama hasn't laid eggs? My mama and her sister stopped laying after the ducklings hatched and that was several months ago. I don't know if that is normal or not. I don't know how old my mama and her sister are as we didn't raise them ourselves, and don't know how many years a duck will lay eggs.

@jchny2000
She would know better than me! My duck just started laying! It's my bantam chicken hen that has stopped laying! It's been a little over a month now since shes laid any eggs! She didn't set on any this year either but i just got her a few months ago! Shes about a yr old!

 

[Miss Lydia]

@jchny2000
She would know better than me! My duck just started laying! It's my bantam chicken hen that has stopped laying! It's been a little over a month now since shes laid any eggs! She didn't set on any this year either but i just got her a few months ago! Shes about a yr old!

@jchny2000

 

[season1223]

Random question? Will different breeds of ducks breed and successfully produce hatchlings! Mine is a white pekin...most of u have seen the pics of quackers! I want to find her a drake preferably a different color to have unique babies but should i stick to Pekins or is there a kind or size breed i shouldn't get? I keep finding different breeds and no pekins!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
Chickens slow down laying in the winter. The less daylight they have, less eggs you get. Some folks do use full spectrum lighting in the coop to encourage a longer laying season. It will also shorten the hens life, and you will get all her eggs in the first few years. I do not use lights myself. I want my girls to have a natural life, but its just my choice.

Random question? Will different breeds of ducks breed and successfully produce hatchlings! Mine is a white pekin...most of u have seen the pics of quackers! I want to find her a drake preferably a different color to have unique babies but should i stick to Pekins or is there a kind or size breed i shouldn't get? I keep finding different breeds and no pekins!

Very good question to ask! Any mallard derived breed of drake is fine. Muscovy will breed with pekin but the offspring will be sterile (mules). Muscovy are actually a cousin of the duck family, not a "true" duck breed. Rouen, Khaki Cambell, Silver Appleyard and so many other breeds would produce lovely mixed ducks.
If you want dual purpose breeds, so far I am most impressed with Pekin, Rouen and Muscovy are my #1 choice.. Swedish and Cayuga are lighter, (less flesh), and not a very impressive finished bird for the table. I am surprised there isn't Pekin drakes available, but may be the timing. Most folks are downsizing and filling freezers this time of year.

 

[season1223]

Chickens slow down laying in the winter. The less daylight they have, less eggs you get. Some folks do use full spectrum lighting in the coop to encourage a longer laying season. It will also shorten the hens life, and you will get all her eggs in the first few years. I do not use lights myself. I want my girls to have a natural life, but its just my choice.
Very good question to ask! Any mallard derived breed of drake is fine. Muscovy will breed with pekin but the offspring will be sterile (mules). Muscovy are actually a cousin of the duck family, not a "true" duck breed. Rouen, Khaki Cambell, Silver Appleyard and so many other breeds would produce lovely mixed ducks.
If you want dual purpose breeds, so far I am most impressed with Pekin, Rouen and Muscovy are my #1 choice.. Swedish and Cayuga are lighter, (less flesh), and not a very impressive finished bird for the table. I am surprised there isn't Pekin drakes available, but may be the timing. Most folks are downsizing and filling freezers this time of year.

Thanks for the info! That helps alot! The light thing with the chickens makes since because the bantams sorta hide out in the brush so they don't get as much sun as the big hen and duck does! I don't want to use a light either! I don't want to shorten their life! Im getting plenty of eggs from my big birds right now...she can just take a break! I just added another young hen and 2 young roosters to my flock tonight! 1 of the roosters might be a hen too...not for sure! All bantams!

 

[season1223]

Congratulations on all the egg laying going on. Can you tell me how long your Mama hasn't laid eggs? My mama and her sister stopped laying after the ducklings hatched and that was several months ago. I don't know if that is normal or not. I don't know how old my mama and her sister are as we didn't raise them ourselves, and don't know how many years a duck will lay eggs.

@jchny2000

 

[Amiga]

Random question? Will different breeds of ducks breed and successfully produce hatchlings! Mine is a white pekin...most of u have seen the pics of quackers! I want to find her a drake preferably a different color to have unique babies but should i stick to Pekins or is there a kind or size breed i shouldn't get? I keep finding different breeds and no pekins!

There are some absolutely gorgeous Pekin mixes out there

Some folks prefer mixes. Since Pekins are a pretty good size, I don't think I'd worry too much about the size of the drake, though my personal preference would be no one much larger than she, since duck mating can be so rough in any case.

Speaking of rough - some drakes really are brutal. You don't know till you have them. The general approach is to have 3 or more females per drake. Even that doesn't work if he picks on one. So I would prepare to have separate side by side pens should the need arise.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
@lynnhill That is normal, they may not feel its time to resume. What breed of duck are they, some are more seasonal than others. Breed also would determine age they stop laying too, I would think.