Duck breeding questions

[Dogface208]

I'm trying to come up with some breeding pens for two breeds of ducks. I'm big on giving birds as much space as possible and I've got 3 acres of forested area to do it (for chickens and ducks). I'm still trying to work out breeding pen layouts, so any advice is welcome (i'm thinking clan breeding for Dutch Hookbills and no idea for the Welsh Harlequins). My two main questions are when is breeding season and how do reintroductions go? Is breeding season just spring-fall? Do you just herd the ducks from the breeding pens into the main flock and let things play out? Thanks for any help and if anyone is a serious duck breeder, I'd love to hear about your setup.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@WVduckchick @Pyxis @shawluvsbirds I am sure there are others but these three I know breed.

 

[chickens really]

I breed Ducks too. I keep my Drakes with his select Hens. I have two separate pens. One is a chain link dog run with chain link top. Then another pen that was a Chicken Coop. It's also totally covered. They begin to breed early spring and the Hens begin to lay eggs. Not all Hens from any breed will become Broody though. Here breeding lasts till around July and then my Drakes go into eclipse and won't breed again till the next spring. I free range each group separate each day or my Drakes fight and attack the other Drakes hens trying to breed them too.

 

[WVduckchick]

Mine are all together at the moment. I haven’t set up particular breeding groups yet, so sorry, I’m not much help.

 

[Dogface208]

I breed Ducks too. I keep my Drakes with his select Hens. I have two separate pens. One is a chain link dog run with chain link top. Then another pen that was a Chicken Coop. It's also totally covered. They begin to breed early spring and the Hens begin to lay eggs. Not all Hens from any breed will become Broody though. Here breeding lasts till around July and then my Drakes go into eclipse and won't breed again till the next spring. I free range each group separate each day or my Drakes fight and attack the other Drakes hens trying to breed them too.

So you keep the "clans" separate at all times. You answered the one question about breeding season so that was a big help can I ask how large your groups are that would cause fighting? I've got 8 ducks and 2 drakes at the moment and will be trying to hatch eggs asap to add more ladies. No fighting yet though.

 

[Dogface208]

Mine are all together at the moment. I haven’t set up particular breeding groups yet, so sorry, I’m not much help.

Thanks for taking a look though!