Pekin Duck Club!

[lauranickerson]

Three drakes to one female equals a non-stop gang bang... that duck will be in bad shape once those boys hit puberty. If they are bobbing their heads, mating season has begun. A ratio of 1:1 is bad enough... 3:1 will likely kill her as they could all pile on her in the water and drown the poor thing. The recommended ratio is 1:3 male to female and you've got the opposite! We had a mated pair and our girl was in the SVU at least once a month to recover from her sex-related injuries. You really need to get more females, separate them, or rehome somebody.

Yeah, I planned on rehoming two of them soon, then getting some Campbell females later for eggs. There's two drakes that STILL don't know how to get up the ramp to the coop, even after lots of training. Those will probably be the two that go. Lol. My boyfriend's grandpa said he'd take them, but he said he planned on just letting them free range 100% with no coop at night, and around here that's sudden death, and don't really want to see that.

I have a friend on Facebook that might take them as well.

But yeah, looked like mating to me. Another question if you don't mind...

If mating season is beginning, will she start laying eggs soon? I heard Pekins are pretty decent egg layers. Wouldn't mind hatching a few to get some more girls...then rehoming the boys.

 

[countrygirl74]

I got 4 Pekins mid-March: one duck, three drakes. I noticed for the first time today that the female was laying low in the pool today, and the male in there with her was quacking and bobbing his head up and down right next to her. Are they going to start mating soon? Looked like what I would call some sort of mating ritual.

My Pekin drake I had as a kid did that all the time, with no ladies around but chicken hens, which he took advantage of anyways...

Yep - they are getting ready! She is showing her submission for him to mount her...

Three drakes to one female equals a non-stop gang bang... that duck will be in bad shape once those boys hit puberty. If they are bobbing their heads, mating season has begun. A ratio of 1:1 is bad enough... 3:1 will likely kill her as they could all pile on her in the water and drown the poor thing. The recommended ratio is 1:3 male to female and you've got the opposite! We had a mated pair and our girl was in the SVU at least once a month to recover from her sex-related injuries. You really need to get more females, separate them, or rehome somebody.

X2!!! Someone on here waited too long to re-home the boys and they drowned their girl while she was gone - gang-rape in the pool. As for your the laying question, my Pekins started laying around the first of April (they were around 24 weeks) and have pretty much laid every single day since!! They are awesome layers!

 

[Deleted member 94844]

Yeah, I planned on rehoming two of them soon, then getting some Campbell females later for eggs. There's two drakes that STILL don't know how to get up the ramp to the coop, even after lots of training. Those will probably be the two that go. Lol. My boyfriend's grandpa said he'd take them, but he said he planned on just letting them free range 100% with no coop at night, and around here that's sudden death, and don't really want to see that. 

I have a friend on Facebook that might take them as well. 

But yeah, looked like mating to me. Another question if you don't mind... 

If mating season is beginning, will she start laying eggs soon? I heard Pekins are pretty decent egg layers. Wouldn't mind hatching a few to get some more girls...then rehoming the boys. 

Oh, great... maybe see which of the boys she "likes" the best and then rehome the other two drakes together. Our pair came from a group of five, four of them boys. She picked the biggest and prettiest of them all

In terms of eggs, our ducks were mating long before the female started laying at six months...

Definitely try and find a home where they will be safe and loved... good luck!!

 

[lauranickerson]

Oh, great... maybe see which of the boys she "likes" the best and then rehome the other two drakes together. Our pair came from a group of five, four of them boys. She picked the biggest and prettiest of them all

In terms of eggs, our ducks were mating long before the female started laying at six months...

Definitely try and find a home where they will be safe and loved... good luck!!

Six months, eh? Hopefully we will have a warmer September here in Michigan so she will start. Never had a duck egg. Heard they are great.

Yeah, if I can't find a home to a friend soon, I might put them on Craigslist. Hopefully they won't go in the freezer. They are too darn cute for that!

 

[Deleted member 94844]

Yeah, if I can't find a home to a friend soon, I might put them on Craigslist. Hopefully they won't go in the freezer. They are too darn cute for that! 

There is also a rehoming section of the forums on this site... if I didn't already have two boys I'd take them!

 

[lauranickerson]

There is also a rehoming section of the forums on this site... if I didn't already have two boys I'd take them!

True! Didn't even think of that! The only times I've looked, I never see anything in Michigan. I would love to get some KC ducks off here, but don't know what I'll find. Maybe I'll post a wanted thread in there...and on Craigslist.

 

[stephanie c]

Your right I do think its the water. He has a baby pool in the backyard and winds up pooping in it all day and then silly dunks his head! Idk how to make him not poop in the poop and then dunk his head lol

 

[countrygirl74]

Your right I do think its the water. He has a baby pool in the backyard and winds up pooping in it all day and then silly dunks his head! Idk how to make him not poop in the poop and then dunk his head lol

Haha.... there is no way unfortunately - silly ducks. One idea is to get a plastic or rubber bucket - we provide water they can get into but also another bucket that they can't climb into, just reach their heads into. Although one of my silly girls likes to grab a mouthful of food and run across the run and drop it into that nice clean bucket and then "fish" for it.

 

[stephanie c]

Haha.... there is no way unfortunately - silly ducks. One idea is to get a plastic or rubber bucket - we provide water they can get into but also another bucket that they can't climb into, just reach their heads into. Although one of my silly girls likes to grab a mouthful of food and run across the run and drop it into that nice clean bucket and then "fish" for it.

I know they are so silly lol also what vitamins should I give? I only give him his regular feed food and then snacks like fruits and veggies

 

[countrygirl74]

I know they are so silly lol also what vitamins should I give? I only give him his regular feed food and then snacks like fruits and veggies

Can you remind me of these details....

How old?
What kind of feed is he on?