Pekin ducks mating for the first time

[Miss Lydia]

Have ya'll seen this? https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/699312/pekin-duck-club

 

[Kathbmcclure]

Sounds like the pekin group didn't really take off! Thanks for mentioning that though. I am going to have 3 buffs to add to the group soon. V excited!

 

[Scott Barr]

First egg today ... did not know that duck eggs were so heavy as compared to chicken eggs. The first one had a small hole in the shell but the shell otherwise seemed very strong. I hear that they are great to eat but have not tried one yet .... Turner and Tucker are both females (we think) because no Drake feather yet ...

 

[voodoozombie]

Absolutely! I've been wanting to let them hatch a few, but didn't want to get overrun...I needed to make sure they had a place to go!

 

[hfchristy]

When do Pekins normally get their drake feathers? My bantams just did this past week, but I have no idea whether they mature faster since they're small. I think they're around 13 or 14 weeks.

Hoping the Pekin DOESN'T get drake feathers - we can't keep any more boys!

 

[ducklucky]

Ours curled at about 16 weeks (they were supposed to be all females, but it's ok, he's a nice horny teenager LOL). Think might have another, but they are more than 19 weeks now, sounds like a female, but odd behavior from the others. The male for sure has a very low and quieter "wack" and is larger than the girls. He is very vocal, but never loud. Think he just wants to get a word in edgewise with the 12 (maybe) women around him...

 

[ducklucky]

A jumbo chicken egg is 2.5 oz. Our first duck eggs were 2.9 and were double yolkers. We always feed the first eggs to the dogs, and if there was a hole in it, don't eat it yourself, but dogs and even cats will love it. They get better as time goes along. Yes, the shell is surpirisingly strong, it is nature's way of the egg surviving the ducks big clumsy feet and heavy weight. Hope you get lots more, ours at 19 weeks are giving us 2 a day, one huge, one medium. Enough for us right now, but we have customers waiting, so I give them a little squeeze each night and a pep talk...It's fun isn't it? They do taste different, but the nutritional value is higher in cholesterol, but much, much higher in vitamins and minerals than chickens. Great for baking as they are so rich, one duck egg =two chicken. Hope I helped.

 

[Scott Barr]

A jumbo chicken egg is 2.5 oz. Our first duck eggs were 2.9 and were double yolkers. We always feed the first eggs to the dogs, and if there was a hole in it, don't eat it yourself, but dogs and even cats will love it. They get better as time goes along. Yes, the shell is surpirisingly strong, it is nature's way of the egg surviving the ducks big clumsy feet and heavy weight. Hope you get lots more, ours at 19 weeks are giving us 2 a day, one huge, one medium. Enough for us right now, but we have customers waiting, so I give them a little squeeze each night and a pep talk...It's fun isn't it? They do taste different, but the nutritional value is higher in cholesterol, but much, much higher in vitamins and minerals than chickens. Great for baking as they are so rich, one duck egg =two chicken. Hope I helped.

Here are 4 of the first 5 ... I think the kids are going to cook them up this afternoon. I now think we definitely have two girls as the eggs are different sizes ...

 

[MistysMenagerie]

How does the back of her neck look? After he is done, (is he doing the victory lap yet?) does she get up on her toes and flap her wings, or does she seem a bit less energetic? How does her vent look? Any blood? Does she limp, does she not seem to eat enough? Does she try to get away from the drake?

There are a number of couples who do fine. Just remember some drakes are so and so's . . .

Our Pekin drake just "did it" with one of our 3 Pekin hens and yes, he did the "victory lap" and she did her flapping. Thank you so much for describing the ritual as we were wondering if she was ok with it. Lol...apparantly