Doc McCluckins
Songster
I started with Call ducks this year and purchased all adults so I am looking forward to raising our first brood of call ducklings in the spring when our girls start laying. As of now I have 3 drakes and 6 hens and plan to sort them into breeding pens of trios pairing birds with traits that compliment their mates working towards competitive show birds bred to the SOP. I am fairly new to Calls but learning all that I can. I have been studying them and picking out their better features and their faults to determine who needs to be with who come spring. Still lots to learn!
If there is anyone else who has questions breeding related please add them!
Some questions I have:
-When should I expect them to begin laying (Southeastern US)? I need to have my breeding pens in order by then.
-I plan to have a nest for each hen in my breeding pens but in my experience with chickens they like to share, are ducks often co-setters as well?
-I really hope my girls will go broody on their own because I am not confident enough in my incubating skills to hatch ducklings yet. When (if) they start setting. Do I need to remove the drakes from the pen, assuming both hens are relatively on the same schedule?
-Each breeding pen will have a pool like the pen pictured below (google image), although mine will be larger than this one. If the ducklings are raised by their mother will the pool be safe for them or would I need to remove/cover it until they are a few weeks old for safety?
Here's some pics of my hopeful parents to be come spring. I can't wait!
If there is anyone else who has questions breeding related please add them!
Some questions I have:
-When should I expect them to begin laying (Southeastern US)? I need to have my breeding pens in order by then.
-I plan to have a nest for each hen in my breeding pens but in my experience with chickens they like to share, are ducks often co-setters as well?
-I really hope my girls will go broody on their own because I am not confident enough in my incubating skills to hatch ducklings yet. When (if) they start setting. Do I need to remove the drakes from the pen, assuming both hens are relatively on the same schedule?
-Each breeding pen will have a pool like the pen pictured below (google image), although mine will be larger than this one. If the ducklings are raised by their mother will the pool be safe for them or would I need to remove/cover it until they are a few weeks old for safety?
Here's some pics of my hopeful parents to be come spring. I can't wait!
