I think the Tractor supply store sold me geese instead of ducks...

[TimCline]

Meat Birds ??   I hope they are not meat birds, I plan to build a floating duck coop and have them live on my 5 acre lake behind my house. I would hate to see them start having issues after 6 months.  but I did notice that the wings on them are very small compared to their size, is that how you know if they are meat birds ?? also does anyone know if the Tractor supply place sale meat duck birds ??

TSC is where I got mine. Most people use them for meat but they will live a fairly long life and reproduce naturally.

 

[redfox2415]

Hello everyone, a little less then 2 weeks ago I purchased 5 ducklings from the store at which time they said they where 1 week old, which made sense since the chicks they had where also 1 week old and where only slighter smaller than the ducks. Now I am thinking they are not ducks but geese because they are have grown so much its insane. when I bought them all five could rest in my two hands cupped, now only on duckling can fit in one hand and even then half of its body is outside the hand boundary.

I posted some pictures of them in hopes someone can tell me what they are, I have had chickens for 4 years now and this is my attempt to expanded my boundaries with water fouls, so my knowledge concerning them is limited.

Any info would be great

keep in mind the duckling below is less then 3 weeks old

Those are ducks. Ducks grow very fast

 

[Duck Drover]

Ducks get their wing feathers last so their wings will appear larger once their flight feathers grow in. The genetic modifications involved in fast growth for meat breeds unfortunately are not intended for long lifespans. The heavier body weight puts added stress on body parts that wear out faster as a result. Most people who buy feed store ducks raise them for meat.

 

[TimCline]

Ducks get their wing feathers last so their wings will appear larger once their flight feathers grow in. The genetic modifications involved in fast growth for meat breeds unfortunately are not intended for long lifespans. The heavier body weight puts added stress on body parts that wear out faster as a result. Most people who buy feed store ducks raise them for meat.

They won't live forever but they are not like Cornish X.

 

[dekel18042]

TSC is where I got mine. Most people use them for meat but they will live a fairly long life and reproduce naturally.

If you're talking about peking ducks, many years ago we used to raise them, and none ever hatched their own eggs. Ever! They would set for a while, maybe even a week or two and then just get up and walk off. After years of this we got a few muscovies and they would hatch the pekin eggs along with their own.
Not sure in the intervening years the breed has ever gone broody.
Now we have khaki campbells. From what I understand they're not a broody breed, but I have an incubator so it doesn't matter.
By the way, our TSC said they don't get geese in but if you want some, there are several breeds they can order for you.

 

[Duck Drover]

Not to scare you, but we had a Jumbo Pekin have a heart attack when we flipped it upside down to vent sex it. The boy part popped right out and we put him down only to have him go into what looked like a seizure and then die. I tried to get his heart started again but he was gone so fast.

 

[TimCline]

       If you're talking about peking ducks, many years ago we used to raise them, and none ever hatched their own eggs.  Ever! They would set for a while, maybe even a week or two and then just get up and walk off.  After years of this we got a few muscovies and they would hatch the pekin eggs along with their own.
     Not sure in the intervening years the breed has ever gone broody.
      Now we have khaki campbells.  From what I understand they're not a broody breed, but I have an incubator so it doesn't matter.
      By the way, our TSC said they don't get geese in but if you want some, there are several breeds they can order for you.

By reproduce naturally I meant fertilize eggs. I never count on broodies.

 

[Duck Drover]

The regular Pekins do better long term than the jumbos but the growth on yours has me thinking you got jumbos since they are a feed store staple this time of year. Employees don't usually know what breeds they have because they often get bulk assortments from hatcheries rather than placing orders for specific breeds (discounted leftovers). There is more demand for jumbos so the hatcheries hatch a bunch of them.

 

[OldCrookedToe]

Those are pekins. I have 3 that are 6 weeks old today and they're HUGE. They'll be solid white with blue eyes. Great birds, good luck!

 

[buff goose guy]

Quote: X2 only bantam class duck breeds can reach full flight (for bantam think mallard size and smaller to about the size of a pigeon)

p.s. Excluding the muscovy duck