Pekin Duck Club!

[DaffyDuck100]

Hey!
I would really like to hatch my own pekins too and I'm starting off with four ducks as well! I would only really like females because if I get a drake I will probably need more females but you can't really controll that!
Should I just buy ducklings and later on get a drake so I can breed then? It would be so exciting to breed

 

[DaffyDuck100]

Hey!
I would really like to hatch my own pekins too and I'm starting off with four ducks as well! I would only really like females because if I get a drake I will probably need more females but you can't really controll that!
Should I just buy ducklings and later on get a drake so I can breed then? It would be so Exciting to hatch the ducks though!

 

[DaffyDuck100]

- sorry about the last messages
I accidentally hit the send button before I had finished! the first parts are repeated!!

 

[The Howards]

Hi Pekin Club.

I'm doing a bit of research before I get my first Pekins, and thought a perfect place to do that would be with the very owners. I don't really want to go through a hatchery, but that's how I discovered the breed. A long time ago, when I was a kid, my family had a flock of Mallards, and my Dad loved them, but I prefer a breed that could be a bit more personable (and less likely to roam very far away), which drew me to the Pekin. First and foremost, if I have never personally owned a duck, how many would you suggest I start with? I have a small pasture (about an acre) they could free range in (though I need to fix a hole in the fence so the neighbor's dogs don't go on a hunting spree). Secondly, where would you suggest I get them from? I have never seen any advertised locally, and I'm not sure where to start looking.

Thanks for any help.

Edit: Never mind my number question. I read above and I'm thinking four would be good for me.

Hi!
Our Pekin pretty much acts just like every other duck in the yard. She is the leader of our duck flock. We got our first one from our local feed store at the same time we got a little Rouen. They did not sex them luckily we got two females, like we wanted. Our next one, coming this spring, is coming from a hatchery so we can be guaranteed a female. As mentioned check the rehoming section, there are a lot of ducks on there, and Craigslist, although you need to be careful of sick birds and make sure to isolate them for 30 days from other members of the flock if you have one.
The cement mixing pans work wonderfully. If you don't want to bury them (I didn't so they would be easier to clean) make sure to provide steps. Our pekin doesn't play in the water as much as the others, she mostly makes mud pies. Ducks are big flock animals so you need a minimum of 2 so they don't get lonely and have someone who "speaks" the same language.

 

[Rkirk]

These are my babies. I asked for three hens one drake but got three drakes one hen. Aside from.them waring her out they dont really fight. Sweet babies basically were raised wild. I have many eggs in the baitor right now. Wondering though... do they set on their own? Ive heard they arent good mothers.

 

[Amiga]

They are beautiful. And I am worried about the female. Three on one can be life-threatening. Her well-being depends on you.

Are you separating them at all?

 

[Rkirk]

Also do include me in the club. Im rather addicted to my water babies.

 

[Rkirk]

I spend a lot of time with them. So far havent had to. But im suspecting that as weather gets warmer I may have to. So far so good. I am looking for two more females so I'm hoping that will be possible.

 

[Rkirk]

My husband saya i spend way too much time with them but truth be told he adores them. I have concerns believe me but I am hyper vigilant about the situation. Lol

 

[Amiga]

Good, thank you. Somehow you sound like a very caring duck person, I wasn't sure you knew about the problem with drakes. And it can happen suddenly, and around here it is about two or three weeks until the hormones really kick in and behaviors change overnight. Better to err on the side of caution - better to separate her too soon, because too late is too late.

We have a drake, now, and that took some getting used to - we started with an all-girl flock.

Hope you can get some females soon.