Can pekin ducks freerange?

[RubberChickenLubber]

I may get a few, but would like to free range them. Do they stay around well?

 

[ZooZoo]

Yes, pekin ducks are great free rangers. I used to have a few on a small pond in the back of my house. They were great foragers and fun additions to the backyard. As long as you feed them they should stay around. I would recommend possibly locking them in a duck house at night so predetors cant get to them. They are easy raccon/fox dinners.

 

[swampducks]

My male pekin is too fat to fly, he and his buddies (3 Rouens, 1 runner) wander all over my yard, around the pond, in the edges of the swamp, in the pond (when it's liquid) and on the creek leaving the pond. I've been penning them up at night this winter but when the pond thaws I can't get them off of it and they slept on it all last year. About as far as they've wandered away is the length of the creek which ends about 200 yards from the house. There's more wet swamp beyond that but I think (fortunately) they don't want to get too far away from home.

So far I've only had "death from above", no raccoons during day time anyway and the only raccoon I did see last year was floating dead on the water (no, I didn't shoot it, it was just there one morning). The two hawk/eagle deaths was of a half grown pekin, (I assume a hawk, no body was found) and a definite hawk kill of a runner, too big to carry away as it was full grown.

So, in my limited 10 months of duck ownership, I'd say they'll stick around, especially if they have a reason too, like a nice body of water and tasty tidbits.

 

[pipermark]

Boy I hope some free range on by me, I is hungry!

 

[RubberChickenLubber]

Well I don't think I'll be getting them. I can't let my chickens free range due to an #@@$@#$ neighbor. So I don't think I can let a duck free range either.