Duck Talk

[Burnt Brass Homestead]

They are adorable. What breed are they? So fun!

The are Peking ducks.

 

[CoriM]

Sweet! Pekins are such great ducks! Maybe you already know this, but the first time I had Pekins I did not and wish I had. Because they are heavy-weight birds and grow so quickly, bred to be harvested at 8 weeks old, they can easily develop leg and hip issues as they grow. They need to be on a duckling-specific food with niacin, and on top of that might need nutritional or brewers yeast added to their food for the extra niacin boost needed to keep their legs strong. Keep a close eye on their development and if you see any developing pigeon-toe or splay leg, you need to intervene immediately with extra measurers. If you can just make sure they're getting enough niacin, most issues can be avoided and you've set them up for a stronger adulthood. Enjoy!

 

[Burnt Brass Homestead]

Thank you for the warning, this is exactly the information I was hoping to get.

I am raising them as dual purpose birds. We will keep some as layers and the rest will be butchered.