OKay......they MATED!!??

[Chicken7777]

Hello everyone, well I was in the debate on either getting pekin ducklings or adult pekins a while ago. Well Just a week ago I got a good deal from someone, Two females, and one male (Born on this past june 18th from mcmurry hatchery...are the pekins from here good, or is ideal better?) all for $30.00(was this price okay?)

well when I went to pick them up I got two males and one female by accident due to how I was in a hurry and forgot all about detecting which were the females, and males( it was far from where I live!).
So.........I have two males and one female, and i am wanting to sell this drake because I have heard that when there are more than one male for just one hen, they might injure her, or even kill her due to their mating practices,(i guess also becuase its not a hen) Well just yesterday one(only one I guess) of them MATED with her!!
I saw it all, I took it by surprise though.
So now....

1. I am afraid both males might start mating with her, and they might injure her, or even kill her....has anyone had this happen to them??
how can i prevent this beside selling the one drake(when do drakes stop wanting to mate).....I do want to sell it though!

2. Will I be having some EGGS!!or DUCKLINGS!! soon? It would be great, but how long till they start laying then, since they just mated yesterday?

3. If they are to have eggs/ducklings soon. What can I do to help her start laying, make a nest? what feed?

Well I would appreciate the help. Thank You!

 

[Ducklove334]

If they were hatched in june, that would make them just over 5 months old, my ducks that came from mcmurray just turned 4 months old this month, and they've been breeding on and off...but so far no eggs(I have mallards, and one cayuga) so i think because mallards, and I think cayuga are seasonal breeders, thats why i havn't gotten any eggs, none of my young girls havn't even layed thier first eggs yet.


if the hen has been laying for a while, then theres a good chance that any eggs produced after mating(I think an egg is layed the day after, or night of) the mating, then she'll go back,mate,lay another egg,mate...egg...theres a good chance that they could be fertile.

not sure where you are, but here it's cold, and if it's cold where you live, if you wanted ducklings, you're best bet is to incubate them yourself with an incubator.

 

[Chicken7777]

Thank you much for the responce...i am surprised you were the only one who responded in my thread.....where have all the good experienced duck raisers/breeders gone to?

Well they have been breeding everyday now its weired.....Thank God i sold the extra male duck. Just now i saw the remaining male duck mated with the female. I am hoping for eggs......Please do tell me what you guys think on my last post.
Thanks

 

[rubyv67]

I don't have duckies, but if you know now you have a mated pair you could separate and fatten up the other drake for Christmas.

 

[Chicken7777]

Well i guess the experienced duck breeders are out for vacation.....

Well they have been mating about everyday now, and i have noticed that they mate when i give them water in a large bucket.
Like i said before i just sold the extra drake so i am happy!!

 

[xfilesnumber1fan]

Once the ducks start mating it is a month or so before the eggs start coming..My domestic ducks lay everyday but my wild mallards will not lay until the eggs can hatch and be babies with it being winter time the babies would not survive! They will start laying this spring to hatch babies the mallards the others have layed 1 egg a day for 2 months now they were born in the Spring time..Dont know if the eggs are fertile I quess they are but I take them out in the moring to cold right now for babies! Wait until Spring and you should get you some cuties!

 

[eggchel]

1. Yes, all males will try to mate with any available females and often at the same time. Thats just how ducks are. The only way to prevent it is either by getting rid of excess males, as you did, or by getting more females, or by separation. I have had a duck drowned by males but it is not common.

2. You should get eggs soon, based on their age and mating behavior but some wild type breeds are less likely to start laying before the days start to lengthen a little, but Pekins arent very seasonal in their laying habits since they have been bred as production birds.

3. Ducks nearly always lay first thing in the morning, so when she does start laying you should find the eggs in their night pen unless you let them out super early. In that case you may find the eggs out in the open or hidden under bushes. Some ducks like to lay in a nest and will lay where ever they see other eggs. Other ducks just drop the egg where ever the are standing.

If you want to encourage her to lay the eggs in a nest then pick up any eggs you find and put them in the nest where she can see them.
For nest boxes I use large plastic dog houses or an upside down Rubbermaid type container with a large door cut in the side. You could use something as simple as a box turned on its side with straw in it or two pieces of scrap plywood nailed together to form a small A-frame shelter.
There is no guarantee that she will sit on the eggs. Some production ducks are not inclined to sitting.

4. I feed my ducks and geese a combination of Purina Flock Raiser, Mazuri Waterfowl Feed, whole oats and whole wheat. Game bird feed is also a good choice. But, Ive also raise plenty of ducks on poultry layer feed.

Hope that answered a few of your questions.



Chel

 

[greyfields]

Quote:
No, they won't injure or hurt her. Are they mating in water? Sometimes it looks like they're drowning the ducks, but don't worry. Duck mating is not pretty or gentle, it's just how they do it.

Quote:
You won't prevent either from mating her, short of removing him. It's not an issue, don't worry. She'll probably lose some feathers along the back of her neck, too. That's all normal.

Quote:
Mating does not mean she's going to start laying eggs. Ducks lay in the winter with intentions of hatching in improving spring weather. So, you won't have ducklings for awhile yet. She has to make a nest, lay a clutch, then decide to sit on them. She may never decide to sit on them, either, and you may have to incubate.

Ducks also hide their eggs very well and like to have multiple stashes. Keep an eye on her.

Quote:
Just give the ducks some chicken feed, but be sure it's not medicated. Having some calcium around (oyster shell) can help her begin producing, too.

I know you're excited, but you really really do not want ducklings right now heading into winter. They'll possibly freeze to death or drown. You want her to sit on a clutch towards the end of January, no sooner.

 

[eggchel]

LOL, I see that Greyfields and I both answered your questions at the same time. I think that we are pretty much in agreement on the basics.

chel

 

[greyfields]

You will be assimilated.