Pekin Duck Club!

[ccook06]

Hi my name is angel I am new to BYC. I have been looking over this site the past few days bc I have just started incubating ducklings (pekin) and chicks (buff orphington). Unfortunately I put the ducklings and chicks in at the same time but I am planning on moving the chicks to a different incubator during lockdown. Right now I have them all in the little giant 9300. I was wondering if There's any advice anyone can give me as being a new hatcher. Also should I mist the duck eggs while they are in with the chick eggs or no? If so when should I start misting?. Another question I have is should the temp be lowered after the chicks hatch or no? Please not negative comments. I'm sure I have more questions but I'll leave it to that for now.

Hi! I am by no means an expert, but I'll tell you what I know. I just completed my first hatch of 3 Pekins and the Learning Center tab on this site was my bible! Alot of it is geared towards chickens but most can be applied to ducks as well. Read as much as you can! The more you can educate yourself the better prepared you can be in case something unusual pops up - which in my experience will definitely happen to first timers.

I've noticed in my reading that some people mist, some don't so I don't know that it is that crucial. However, if you have all the eggs together misting is going to increase the humidity for all and too high humidity can lead to fatal problems down the road. From what I have gathered duck eggs tend to be incubated at higher humidity than chicken eggs (mine were kept at 45-50%) but there is also the "dry incubation" method - again in the learning center- that seems to be very effective.

The temp is normally lowered at lockdown (the last three days prior to hatch when eggs are not turned anymore and humidity is raised) and since ducks incubate for 28 days, chickens for 21 this might create a problem for you.

The only other advice I can offer is patience, patience, patience! I was so nervous the last three days and while they were hatching but it is usually best to just sit back and watch and wait for nature to do her job.

Oh, and make sure you post pictures of those adorable babies when they arrive! Good luck!

 

[kyexotics]

Do you know some good treats to give ducklings?

Peas and/or worms!!! ;-)


We woke up to a noisy bator this morning and of the 'new' flock that hatched, we had a handful of duckies including some new Pekins!!!!!!

 

[Julie Birb]

The honkers are girls. I have 4 sexed ducklings that I know are girls, and when they get going they sound like a bunch of geese.

Heehee, cute. Please video tape and post for us Kaessa.

 

[Julie Birb]

Peas and/or worms!!! ;-) We woke up to a noisy bator this morning and of the 'new' flock that hatched, we had a handful of duckies including some new Pekins!!!!!!

such cute sweet warm cuddly little fuzzy babies with webbed feet.

 

[Lori and Ducks]

I would love to join. I am new to ducks and I have 7 Pekin ducklings.

 

[Julie Birb]

I would love to join. I am new to ducks and I have 7 Pekin ducklings.

Please do join and welcome!!

 

[ducklove290]

Ccook06 thanks for the feed back. I am planning on switching the chickens to a different hatchery on day 18. And Yes it's very half being patient. I will be candle then for the first time in a day or two. Cant wait to see the outcome. How many degrees should I drop the temp during lockdown???

 

[JLynnsDuckies]

Hi everyone! I'm new to BYC and am new mommy to two pekin ducklings. We got them at about 3 days old and they are currently just over two weeks old. I've noticticed one of the ducklings has really taken to me. They both are friendly but this one more so. He (not really sure if its a he...) Has a new obsession with my face, maybe my lips! He stands up real tall and just stares at me. I put my hand on his chest to keep him from maybe taking a nibble. Also when the other comes to sit by him on my lap he seems a bit jeleous or something. He will nibble at him and sometimes go for an eye. This pretty much only happens when they are together on my lap, other then that they seem okay together. I am wondering if this little guy is showing some beginning signs of agression or dominance? If anyone has any input I would love to hear it! Thank you in advance.

 

[Reese7383]

Is that Lamont who isn't doing well?

Yes it's Lamont who isn't well. It's closing in on 24 hours and it seems like he's getting worse. Foe the past hour and a half he has been standing, his neck crouch down peeping in despair (he has many different peeps. Having not eaten for over 10 hours, at 10am I hand fed him, he took a few nibbles and some water. Every hour since I've done the same. He's nibbled a few times and had a few drinks of water. This standing this worries me greatly.

 

[BooeyBird]

Yes it's Lamont who isn't well. It's closing in on 24 hours and it seems like he's getting worse. Foe the past hour and a half he has been standing, his neck crouch down peeping in despair (he has many different peeps. Having not eaten for over 10 hours, at 10am I hand fed him, he took a few nibbles and some water. Every hour since I've done the same. He's nibbled a few times and had a few drinks of water. This standing this worries me greatly.

I am new to ducklings so I don't really know what to tell you, but I hope Lamont recovers! Is there anything that he could have eaten and do his poops look normal? Good luck!