Pekin Duck Club!

[Yooperducker]

I have four Pekins. One is 4 weeks on Monday the other 3 will be starting their 3rd week. Two of them are much smaller and growing at a slower rate that the other two are/did.

The two with the purple on their heads. Otherwise they are alert, eat, drink, poop as the rest of them. Just small in comparison. One of these is also the one with the mystery leg injury. All have been getting by since day one. Could they just be more petite?

 

[Amiga]

Goofed up my first quote so here goes again. One of my small girls just experienced the same thing. Favoring leg, no weight on it but no obvious signs of stress or injury. I do have comfrey just coming up in the garden. What method do you recommend in applying a compress and how long should it be held there and how often should it be done?

I would probably put a small handful of leaves in a blender or mortar and pestle, grind them up, add a tiny bit of olive oil, put that in a rag, and wrap the rag around the leg with the comfrey against the skin for as long as you both can stand it.

Or, you could make a cup of boiling water, drop the crushed comfrey leaves in, let it cool, and pour it into a flat-bottomed bowl big enough for the duck to stand in while you hold her. Add a bit of extra water to raise the level so it covers her legs.

Twice a day is great, but if you can only do it once, I would do it in the evening just before their bedtime.

 

[Yooperducker]

Thank you! I will try both methods and find which one works out best. She is very calm so hopefully we will both get through it okay. Do you think I could reuse the tea a couple times or would it lose its efficacy? The comfrey is only just coming up so a bit limited inquantity right now. You have given such good advice during my preparations and now living this wonderful ducky journey. Your wisdom is greatly appreciated.

Is there any advantage to feeding her the comfrey as well?

 

[yoopergirl1211]

Thank you! I will try both methods and find which one works out best. She is very calm so hopefully we will both get through it okay. Do you think I could reuse the tea a couple times or would it lose its efficacy? The comfrey is only just coming up so a bit limited inquantity right now. You have given such good advice during my preparations and now living this wonderful ducky journey. Your wisdom is greatly appreciated.

Is there any advantage to feeding her the comfrey as well?

Another yooper! Where are you from. Im Escy area!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have four Pekins and am a new duck Mom. Please add me to the club!

Congrats On your new babies..

here is some info you might enjoy.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

 

[MandyJ]

I have a little flock of 4 hens. I have noticed that 2 of the hens have skin showing on the back of their neck. I am supposing from the other hens mounting them for dominance. One is a large area about 2 inches long, the other is only about the size of a quarter. The feathers are missing but there isn't any blood or skinned looking skin. The 2 that have the feathers missing are the younger ones in the group. I have 2 that are 2 years old, and 2 that are about a year.

My question...if I put the two that are doing the most mounting in "time out" what will that accomplish? I am afraid they will just turn and mount each other OR I am afraid that we will have a hierarchy scramble when I let them back together and it will be worse. Everyone SEEMS happy, no pecking, just a lot of "mating". We get an egg a day from each of the girls.
Thanks in advance.

Update: I now notice that one of the girls is molting and has quit laying, the other three are still laying, they all appear to still be "mating".

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a little flock of 4 hens. I have noticed that 2 of the hens have skin showing on the back of their neck. I am supposing from the other hens mounting them for dominance. One is a large area about 2 inches long, the other is only about the size of a quarter. The feathers are missing but there isn't any blood or skinned looking skin. The 2 that have the feathers missing are the younger ones in the group. I have 2 that are 2 years old, and 2 that are about a year.

My question...if I put the two that are doing the most mounting in "time out" what will that accomplish? I am afraid they will just turn and mount each other OR I am afraid that we will have a hierarchy scramble when I let them back together and it will be worse. Everyone SEEMS happy, no pecking, just a lot of "mating". We get an egg a day from each of the girls.
Thanks in advance.

Update: I now notice that one of the girls is molting and has quit laying, the other three are still laying, they all appear to still be "mating".

@MandyJ
My Buff females mount my Runner females all the time in the pool and I have a Runner drake. Don't ask me why they just like to go through the motions of mating I guess because it looks exactly like it down to the Buff acting like the drake while the drake stand on the outside of the pool and watches. But he also mates these girls. Hormones make them do crazy things. lol You could try shaking up the pecking order by rotating them around so each set has one older one younger then try putting them all back together again but I am not sure anything will work. As long as no one is injured and no one seems to be getting the worse end of the deal maybe just leave them alone. So far here that is what I am doing. Mine seem to not mind at all and actually like it.

 

[Debs Flock]

My hussy girl ducks often have one on bottom, one in the middle and one on top. Is that a matey sandwich? Darn hormones!

 

[Miss Lydia]

My hussy girl ducks often have one on bottom, one in the middle and one on top. Is that a matey sandwich? Darn hormones!

Yes it is.

 

[maddysmamaw]

Finally have a nice sunny day to let the ducks meet the rest of my flock.