Pekin Duck Club!

[misschickenlittle]

Is it possible for my approximately 2 mon old pekin hen to have adopted my 4week old muscovies? They follow her and she quacks at them... She doesn't hardley leave the run to go out to forage... When she does they follow... Could they really get that morherly instinct that early??

 

[Laci7210]

Is it possible for my approximately 2 mon old pekin hen to have adopted my 4week old muscovies? They follow her and she quacks at them... She doesn't hardley leave the run to go out to forage... When she does they follow... Could they really get that morherly instinct that early??

It's possible. Plus, the pekin is probably already big enough in size to be their mother! Sounds like she's going to be a good mama when she starts to lay!

 

[chickery-do]

See the white areas in the rocks? I was sure she had gotten some metal in her, but it was all rocks and gravel bits. Staples can definitely harm them... by either puncturing internals or toxicity. If you have other ducks you should sweep the area with a metal detector. There could be more lying around! One of our contractors spilled some nails and I had him down on his hands and knees picking them all up

They sell a large magnet on a pole for approx.$14.99 at Lowes that you can pick up nails, staples etc with. http://www.lowes.com/pd_320295-3767...?Ntt=magnetic+tool+to+pick+up+nails&facetInfo= Unless the nails are aluminum, magnets don't stick on aluminum. But at least that way you know it would be safer, and if you had any work done on any other area's do the same thing. There are bigger ones that constructions use but that should do, it will just take a few more passes.

 

[Deleted member 94844]

They sell a large magnet on a pole for approx.$14.99 at Lowes that you can pick up nails, staples etc with. http://www.lowes.com/pd_320295-3767...?Ntt=magnetic+tool+to+pick+up+nails&facetInfo= Unless the nails are aluminum, magnets don't stick on aluminum.  But at least that way you know it would be safer, and if you had any work done on any other area's do the same thing.  There are bigger ones that constructions use but that should do, it will just take a few more passes.

I need that! I'm totally paranoid about anything metal getting into the gravel or mulch around the pond. Thanks so much for the link!!

 

[whitey61]

Just hatched my first ducks 4 of them( peking) so dam funny looking really getting a kick out of them . have 11 chickens not sure if am going to put them all together but we will see .

 

[Amiga]

Just hatched my first ducks 4 of them( peking) so dam funny looking really getting a kick out of them . have 11 chickens not sure if am going to put them all together but we will see .

 

[Liquorqueen]

Hi Peking Duck lovers! I live in a beach community in the Panhandle of Florida and really dont have grass, just sandy yard with trees and brush.
I have just been reading this forum and had a lot of questions till I did some reading here. Thanks for all the great advice!
I have 2 Pekings (named Jager & Meister) I got on day 1 of their lives from Tractor Supply. Today they are 11 1/2 weeks old and very large and healthy. The sales people there did not know what breed they were or their sexes. Unbelievable if you ask me! Well, they are definitely Peking, and very healthy as I feed them just what I am supposed to... they are ALWAYS hungry. I still dont know their sex, but from my readings, I think they are girls since I don't see a feather that hangs below their tail feathers. Is this correct??Both lived their first month in my empty tub with lots of love and handling; however, they now run away and it's hard to catch them. I wanna have them let me pick them up whenever I want. Is it too late? My nephew says I could had I just had 1. They do run to me when I show up, but just want to be 2 feet away at all times. They live with 2 cats (1 almost always is with them cause she loves them) and also with an Australian Shepherd too. Since they grew up with the cats and dog, they all are not afraid of each other and get along well.
3 questions: How do I get them to let me get closer and hold them again; what are their sex without a detailed search... lol; and, is it ok for them to just live in their sandy 30 ft x 30 ft fenced enclosure. They have 2 kiddie ponds and several trees they live under, but no house for nighttime safety, which they seem to be ok with. I leave the fence door open during the day for them to forage around, but they really don't like leaving their big enclosure. Do I need to lock them in a house at night now so a coyote won't get them cause I can hear coyotes in the State Forest that surrounds my beach subdivision.
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. I love them and hope to keep them quite a while and hope for eggs for eating cause these babies are not cheap to keep alive.

 

[Laci7210]

Hi Peking Duck lovers! I live in a beach community in the Panhandle of Florida and really dont have grass, just sandy yard with trees and brush.
I have just been reading this forum and had a lot of questions till I did some reading here. Thanks for all the great advice!
I have 2 Pekings (named Jager & Meister) I got on day 1 of their lives from Tractor Supply. Today they are 11 1/2 weeks old and very large and healthy. The sales people there did not know what breed they were or their sexes. Unbelievable if you ask me! Well, they are definitely Peking, and very healthy as I feed them just what I am supposed to... they are ALWAYS hungry. I still dont know their sex, but from my readings, I think they are girls since I don't see a feather that hangs below their tail feathers. Is this correct??Both lived their first month in my empty tub with lots of love and handling; however, they now run away and it's hard to catch them. I wanna have them let me pick them up whenever I want. Is it too late? My nephew says I could had I just had 1. They do run to me when I show up, but just want to be 2 feet away at all times. They live with 2 cats (1 almost always is with them cause she loves them) and also with an Australian Shepherd too. Since they grew up with the cats and dog, they all are not afraid of each other and get along well.
3 questions: How do I get them to let me get closer and hold them again; what are their sex without a detailed search... lol; and, is it ok for them to just live in their sandy 30 ft x 30 ft fenced enclosure. They have 2 kiddie ponds and several trees they live under, but no house for nighttime safety, which they seem to be ok with. I leave the fence door open during the day for them to forage around, but they really don't like leaving their big enclosure. Do I need to lock them in a house at night now so a coyote won't get them cause I can hear coyotes in the State Forest that surrounds my beach subdivision.
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. I love them and hope to keep them quite a while and hope for eggs for eating cause these babies are not cheap to keep alive.

For the first question, about them being tame, I got the idea of using peas from other BYC members. Just get frozen peas and thaw them. Then just feed them to your ducks! It might take a few days or even longer but that worked to tame mine. I wouldn't just keep one, because they are flock animals and are soo much happier when they have friends! Mine won't go five minutes without each other! And about the gender and sand, I honestly have no clue! Hope this helps some!

 

[jonhpdx]

Yeah my little neighbor kids love playing with the ducklings and chicks once they hatch. What do you use to enclose them in your yard?

I was fortunate enough to buy a property that is actually enclosed 360 degrees around the house, including a gated driveway. Nothing special, just metal fencing, but it does the trick and keeps them in the yard. I know I'm the not the most usual of cases though, so I'm assuming other people have to shut their ducks in a more enclosed area, mine are spoiled and get a quarter acre to roam (and there's only 4 of them)

 

[ashswag14]

Ah well I have an enclosed yard and i could also build like a chicken wire fence around their "coop" when I put them in at night. But can Pekins fly? Will they come back? Haha stupid questions I know but like I said I've never owned ducks before lol :/