Pekin Duck Club!

[KARy408]

ive tried blue berries, strawberries. They ate the leaves off my tomato plants but not the tomatoes themselves..weird..I've tried halved cabbage right out of the garden, scratch grains..they will eat nothing but flock raiser and grubs.
Something has to be wrong..with the poop pics I've seen here and other sites they have watery squirts..what could they be missing?

First, I've read that tomato stems and leaves are toxic (!!) to ducks, only the fruit is supposed to be edible, so I would start there.

Also I believe the poop usually varies in consistency, depending largely on diet. If you feed them veg with a high water content, it does go more watery. Very dark green veggies like kale can color it as well. My ducks' waste does change a bit day to day, but I've never seen it look as solid as the duck poop I've come across in the wild. Oh the science of poo!

How were your ducks raised? Do you know if they were given treats as ducklings at all? If so, I would revert back to those. In my experience, our Pekins still love the veggies I gave them as wee ones. It's the new fruit, bananas and tomatoes, I've tried to introduce recently that they do not seem to like much.

Lastly, are you able to let them out to free range at all? If so, what are they finding that they like to eat when they're on their own? Mine are partial to fallen oak leaves and the wild grass around here. They loved the miners lettuce that grew in the spring too!

Hope that helps!

 

[Going Quackers]

What treats do your pekin like? Mine are so picky!! Its frustrating. Im tired of feeding the flies and ants.

Peas and lettuce are probably the most common go-too.

 

[Going Quackers]

We have finally figured out that we have 2 drakes and 2 ducks. We would like to keep only the ducks but have never been through the separation process before. We have a home for the males but would like your advice as to what to expect the reaction will be from the females. What is the best way to do this? Thanks!!

In that small of a flock you will likely find the females looking for the drakes for awhile ducks do get over things, but they can morn and search for flockmates, thankfully due to nature most birds will move on, now a singular left after a traumatic event is different of coarse.

I would give extra time and treats to distract them. How old?

 

[Going Quackers]

I
I feel horrible to say before I lost Frankie p I did not know how much calcium/protein they shoul have in their good. The floating pellets had 14% protein and.85 to 1.35 calcium. Laying ducks should get between 16-17% protein And more calcium.

That's odd, mine don't have a high levels of calcium in their food.. i don't feed layer here... too many young, instead opt for free choice oyster shell, ducks can do fine on lower proteins too... did they not forage?

Now all this said some ducks do have a problem with their calcium absorption and require supplements beyond even what layers can provide. A member here Amiga has a few ducks with this issue.

Sorry for you loss that is so sad.

 

[Going Quackers]

ive tried blue berries, strawberries. They ate the leaves off my tomato plants but not the tomatoes themselves..weird..I've tried halved cabbage right out of the garden, scratch grains..they will eat nothing but flock raiser and grubs.
Something has to be wrong..with the poop pics I've seen here and other sites they have watery squirts..what could they be missing?

As said the leaves and plant of tomatoes are toxic so i would definitely keep them away from those. Otherwise, how were they raised? my Pekin are free ranged so eat who knows what lol that goes from frogs(puke) right to bugs and everything inbetween.

That said they hit the ground as soon as the cold left and i could get them outside to do so. ducks dislike new things, hang a new feeder? the sky is falling lol keep trying .. in time they do adjust to new foods, that said it's never a good idea to overtreat a duck, a foraging duck is different as the instincts kick in on what they need so commercial feeds are a supplement.

 

[NewChcikenmommy!]

Yea they get lots of bugs and I throw cracked corn in spots that have higher grass. Grub worms and what not. They really liked cooked oats when they were younger but now they coyld care less. Beca they do foradge a small area I'd like to plant things they can eat safely. They will not touch my sweet pepper plants however just use it as shade..I didnt know tomato leaves were toxic. Theyve destroys them down to bare sticks but this was weeks ago and those tiny salad toms so the leaves weren't very big like my beef steak plant

 

[suellen123]

T

What treats do your pekin like? Mine are so picky!! Its frustrating. Im tired of feeding the flies and ants.

romaine lettuce and sprouts

 

[sunnyfishy]

So now our males (we are sure we have 5 males and just 1 female in this batch of babies) are about 3 months old, and still no drake feathers! The weirdest thing has occurred--they have what look like scissor tails, where the center feathers on the tail are just totally missing.

Is there anyone in NH that might like one drake not for eating? I seriously cannot bear to send 4 to freezer camp--3 is a little more palatable :T
They're all very friendly happy ducks, and I'm just so in love with them.

 

[suellen123]

Y

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That's odd, mine don't have a high levels of calcium in their food.. i don't feed layer here... too many young, instead opt for free choice oyster shell, ducks can do fine on lower proteins too... did they not forage?

Now all this said some ducks do have a problem with their calcium absorption and require supplements beyond even what layers can provide. A member here Amiga has a few ducks with this issue.

Sorry for you loss that is so sad.
[/quoteThank you. Yes they do free range all day too. Living on a city lot I have a front and back yard they forage around on.

 

[NewChcikenmommy!]

Is there a link to a plant guide for ducks or a book? I am in the process of making my veggie garden more duck friendly. I am sectioning off smaller bits for my veggies and want to plant real plants/shrubs and what not they can pick at and have some natural shade. I am making pallet tee-pees that im going to frow either wheat grass or a salad blend down the sides. Here is what I have so far.

my babies every where ive turned over the ground trying to level everything they go and grab up all the creepy crawlers lol

I do know they LOVED my broccoli plants literally to death haha