Pekin Duck Club!

[pekinlove1219]

I am new to the forum and would like to say Hi to everyone!
This is our first experience owning a duck. We have a Pekin (female I believe) who is around 4 or 5 months old. I have a couple questions.....When do they start laying eggs? and....we are going to be making a cage /pen for her that's big enough for when she isnt out in the yard, but we have been keeping her in a wire cage off the ground that's just big enough for a Rubbermaid tub that we made for her to go into, hee food & water dish and a little room to move around. My question is...Is this ok for the time being until we get a bigger one made? We take her out twice a day for up to 2 hours to swim in pool and run around yard?

. They shouldn't have plain wire bottoms it will hurt there feet. They need bedding

 

[MichelleF41]

Welcome!!
Michelle - is your duck a house duck that you just take out outside daily? As for eggs, my two Pekin girls started at 24 and 25 weeks. They have laid every day for weeks, now that it's nice and warm!

duckmomma - It's so great that you are giving those ducks a nice home! Get some frozen, thawed peas - they will love you!

Countrygirl74- she isn't a house duck but my daughter or I have always stayed out with her twice a day when we let her out and she follows us everywhere ans wants to be with/by us all the time. I feel bad just running in for a drink cuz she follows me to the door and yells the whole 3 minutes I'm gone, lol. We are really thinking about getting a diaper harness and bringing her in sometimes. I would let her just stay in the yard during the day cuz its fenced in but I'm scared something will bother/attack her so we sit out there for 2 hours twice a day so she can play in the pool and forage in the grass. Do u know if there is anything that would attack her during the day now that she's bigger??
Also..since she is in a wire cage (pic in post above) will she just lay eggs in there on the wire or should we have something in there. The wire is coated with rubber so its not a bare type wire. I don't know a thing about egg laying, when it starts, or how often they lay them.
I appreciate all the help and kindness! I'm so glad I found this forum, everyone seems so nice, helpful and sincere.

 

[MichelleF41]

. They shouldn't have plain wire bottoms it will hurt there feet. They need bedding

It is a rubber coated wire and it hasn't seemed to bother her but if I go to the local pet store , is there something I can get till I find a feed store or place to get hay ??
Thanks for the help!

 

[countrygirl74]

Since this incident (about 3 days) it has been very wobbly on its legs. It looks as if it has no balance!

it's such a sad sight to see. It just walks so slow and falls over. It doesn't get into the pool and I think it's because it doesn't have the strength to. It seems to be eating and drinking fine. Other than the balance and trouble walking it seems okay. WHAT COULD BE WRONG!!! This little duck use to be my little sprinter! I always had so much trouble catching it because of how speedy it was, now it just looks so helpless.
Someone please help me! I don't want to loose one

Have you been providing niacin for all your ducklings? If you see no apparent injuries, my guess would be a niacin deficiency. Get some niacin tablets or capsules from your local health food store (don't get any niacin that says "flush-free", "no-flush" or "time-release") - I personally couldn't find regular niacin anywhere but my local health food store. Get 100-125mg tablets/capsules and put in 100-125mg per gallon of water. Ducklings should have this in their water for the first 10-12 weeks. There is not enough niacin in feed. You should be able to see great improvement in a few days if it is a niacin deficiency. Hope that helps!!

Quote:

Countrygirl74- she isn't a house duck but my daughter or I have always stayed out with her twice a day when we let her out and she follows us everywhere ans wants to be with/by us all the time. I feel bad just running in for a drink cuz she follows me to the door and yells the whole 3 minutes I'm gone, lol. We are really thinking about getting a diaper harness and bringing her in sometimes. I would let her just stay in the yard during the day cuz its fenced in but I'm scared something will bother/attack her so we sit out there for 2 hours twice a day so she can play in the pool and forage in the grass. Do u know if there is anything that would attack her during the day now that she's bigger??
Also..since she is in a wire cage (pic in post above) will she just lay eggs in there on the wire or should we have something in there. The wire is coated with rubber so its not a bare type wire. I don't know a thing about egg laying, when it starts, or how often they lay them.
I appreciate all the help and kindness! I'm so glad I found this forum, everyone seems so nice, helpful and sincere.

Hi MichelleF41 - she will probably need to be a house duck and go just about everywhere with you if you don't plan on getting anymore. If you want to keep her outside and and/or will be gone a lot, she will definitely need a companion.

As for predators, it depends on what can get through or over your fence (skunks, dogs, coyotes, etc.) - as for air predators (hawks, owls). She really needs an enclosed run if you want to make sure nothing would ever get her.

You could do something as small as 8x8 with 2 ducks, especially if you let them out to play with you around the yard every once in a while, but go bigger if they have to stay "locked" up more often.

As for needs within the run, just have water available at all times that is deep enough for them dunk their entire head into - they need to be able to clear their "nostrils" and wash their eyes. If you have enough room, a lot of people put in a kiddie pool for swimming too, as it's good to have water for them to get into and keep their feathers healthy. She needs a little covered shelter - like a small doghouse - that she can go in and out of to get out of bad weather. The rubbermaid and cage will be fine for her temporarily but the ground will be best, and a shelter with a floor (to keep the bedding dry) will also be needed.

As for laying, ducks will lay just about anywhere but I think it's nice to provide a soft place for them to lay down or lay eggs. I would get kild-dried pine shavings (make sure it's not cedar or has cedar mixed in) and fill the dog house with those. You can get a pretty big package for under $10 that will last for quite a while. As for "where" they will lay - ducks are funny. I have one that lays in the middle of the run, just about anywhere she pleases - I have one that lays in the "doghouse", and I have one that made her own special nest in the corner of the pen.

Lastly, I would highly suggest again that you get another female duck for her as a companion. Unless you are with her 24/7, she will get awfully lonely.

 

[Younger]

I have read a lot about adding Niacin to the water for the ducks when they are ducklings. We are giving our two Pekins duckling starter crumble and the guy at the feed store told us it had enough Niacin in it. Does anyone know if I should add it or is it only added if you give them the chick started (that is what he told us)
Thanks

 

[countrygirl74]

I have read a lot about adding Niacin to the water for the ducks when they are ducklings. We are giving our two Pekins duckling starter crumble and the guy at the feed store told us it had enough Niacin in it. Does anyone know if I should add it or is it only added if you give them the chick started (that is what he told us)
Thanks

Duckling starter may have enough in it as it's specifically made for ducks, but I've noticed most people on here use chick starter - either they have chickens too and use the same feed for all, or duck feed isn't available where they live. I would imagine that they would include enough niacin in a feed made for ducks. If you start to notice any problems with their legs, then I would definitely add more niacin to their diet.

 

[Younger]

Ok thanks. That was what I thought but wasn't sure. They seem to be moving well. I was able to find duck starter so was lucky. I will also give them duck grower as the people we buy it from carry that too. I feed my chicks chicken crumble. Just wasn't sure whether I should give them extra niacin.
They are just starting to get feathers in, wings and tail. When should I switch them off the duckling starter? They are 4.5 weeks old. I have about 2 weeks of food left and was going to switch but wasn't sure if I should get another bag of "baby food"
Thanks for the help

 

[Chickiemommie87]

The coop is livable! Walls and floor are finished! Tonight is their first night in the new house.

Couldn't resist they are too cute when they hear new sounds. This is Little bit on the left she is a spangled OEGB. and her boyfriend is Beau a self blue OEGB.

 

[Younger]

The coop is livable! Walls and floor are finished! Tonight is their first night in the new house.


Couldn't resist they are too cute when they hear new sounds. This is Little bit on the left she is a spangled OEGB. and her boyfriend is Beau a self blue OEGB.


Very exciting for them. We are still working on our coop but they are growing so quickly. I move them outside each day to the pen to play but they hate getting picked up to go. I'm sure they will like it when ours is finished too. Nice job.

 

[Chickiemommie87]

The papers are temporary i can't get straw anywhere and don't have linoleum down yet. It will eventually be linoleum with sand on top them a thick layer of pine shavings. For now they each have a kennel with shavings to nest if they want to.