Pekin Duck or Ducklings WANTED!!! What should I do!!!

[Chicken7777]

******First of all DOES ANYONE THAT LIVES IN THE ORLANDO, FL AREA HAVE ANY Day old-week old PEKIN DUCKLINGS!!! Please Read Below!!***********

Well Hi everyone I posted this in the raising chicks section and just realized that there is a section for waterfowl/Ducks.(i am still very new to this forum)
Well I really wanted some pekin ducklings with my order of Ideal chicks but by the time I ordered my chicks there werent any left to order but I really still want some ducklings or ducks in general(even though I did want to start with ducklings) Currently there is someone around my area that only has some adults available; two hens and one male i think, but I dont know if I should take them or if I should buy some ducklings instead.
I have been told that it is better to get ducklings due to how they will be very tame with you and let you grab them compared to already adults(they are 4-5months old I think) that are afraid if they were not raised by you.
I was also thinking if I were to buy the adults would it be better because then they can have ducklings/eggs faster than me buying from a hatchery or waiting for my own ducklings to have them....

I Also have some other questions that are on my mind...


1. Would it be okay to add Pekin Ducklings with my chicks that I just received from Ideal Poultry?

2. If i would get adults, would they start laying eggs for consumption...Do they lay eggs for consumption most of the time like chickens everyday or just by season and when might I see some eggs(they are about 5-6 months old?

3. Would they start breeding/When will they start laying ducklings since they are about 4-5 months old already, or do they lay seasonally only? How can I make them go broody, start laying?

4. DOES ANYONE THAT LIVES IN THE ORLANDO, FL AREA HAVE ANY Day old-week old PEKIN DUCKLINGS!!! Or Would like to order together once Ideal does have day old pekin ducklings since I wouldnt like to buy other/more poultry just to buy the day old pekins.
Would love to have some...........

Would appreciate the help....Thanks very much!

 

[shelleyd2008]

1. I wouldn't keep ducklings and chicks in the same brooder. Ducklings are very messy with their water.
2. Pekin ducks are egg/meat ducks, but they are seasonal layers. I have heard they lay over 200 eggs a year. They should start laying in March, I believe, but not sure on that.
3. Pekins are not known for being broody, so if you wanted to hatch some young, you would probably need an incubator if you don't already have one. They should start breeding this winter if they aren't already.
4. Sorry, don't live in Florida anymore!

 

[Chicken7777]

Yeah I have heard that Pekins in general dont go broody, but there have been some thread on people having their Pekins go broody for them....I want to buy the adults so that they can start laying maybe because they are about 5-6 months old, and it is one drake and one hen. What can I do to stimulate them to breed?
There is something that keeps getting me confused because some people say that they are seasonal breeders; they make fertile eggs only in spring. And other say they can breed all year long...even around this time of year in the Fall/Winter!!
Another thing is that they can lay like chicken hens; lay an egg about everyday or so.....SO Are these two correct or not?? Still very confused!!!
Thanks again!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Well, like I said with mine, none of them have laid any yet. They are seasonal layers, but they can lay over 200 eggs a year. I believe they start laying in February or March, and then they stop in like October or so. If the ones you are looking at are laying now, they will probably quit when they get moved, then start laying again in the spring. I believe they start breeding in the winter, but I haven't seen mine yet. Then again, I don't watch them that much either, so they might be.
I was always under the impression that they layed only in the spring as well, but that is not the case. I have heard that their fertility might go down in the summer due to the heat, but again, mine are not even laying yet, so I don't know.
If you were to get eggs or ducklings now, they probably wouldn't lay at all until the fall, if then. So if you want to get some to have eggs in the spring, I would go with the 5-6 month olds.

 

[corancher]

Most ducks are seasonal egg layers. When they are laying they will lay an egg much like chickens do so lay an egg for a couple of days then off for a day.

As Shelly said not a good idea to put ducklings in with your chicks. They make a mess with their water and will get the chicks wet.

As far as breeding, they will breed year round but seem to have renewed vigor when the ducks are actually laying. I have not done anything to get them to breed. My pekins have not gone broody but the golden cascades are a broody bunch.

 

[vfem]

Ok... lots of questions.

I don't have all the answers but a lot of people can really help, they are very helpful here.

Pekins are generally not broody ducks. I don't think you will have good luck trying to get them to hatch their own if that's what you want.

Also, if you are looking for good layers, they are very good layers... perhaps around 200 eggs a year. I'm not so sure they are as 'seasonal' as say call ducks are while laying.

If the lady hand raised these adults, then perhaps they are pretty human friendly already... if she didn't hand raise them they could be pretty skiddish.

If you don't mind waiting for them to lay, ducklings would be fun... but they are clumsy and generally messy. I wouldn't mix them in with your new chicks if you can manage to find ducklings less then a week old.

Just my opinions... could be different for others. My pekins are due to hatch monday... I convinced someone to give me eggs, and I put them under a broody hen who is all to happy to hatch them for me!

 

[Chicken7777]

Well that is nice your getting some ducklings on monday!!
are they Pekin ducklings? how many do you have? i would like one LOL
anyway, well how could I be able to make adult five - six month old Pekin ducks to start laying....maybe feeding them more calcium; layer feed to promote seasonal laying?

 

[Fudgie]

You cannot MAKE them lay for you, they just will, when they are ready. I feed ours the same layer crumbles I feed the hens and roos. I think they are at the age they should start laying before too long. Mine started about 2 weeks ago laying, they are NOT broody at all. Just lay and leave. My suggestion is if you DO have access to some adults, get them. You can gentle them down by feeding them at certain times at first and keeping them in a pen when you feed. They will get used to knowing you are feeding them at the same times each day and will be waiting in the pen. Make sure you have water available for them when you feed them or they will choke on their food. (hense the messy area)

Also don't try to pet them at first, just let them eat while you tidy up the pen or pretend to tidy up, or just sit on the bottom of the feed bucket watching them. They will get used to you being around and not care about you being in their area after a while. Pretty soon you can go in to feed them and try to start petting them while they are eating. They will want the food so will tollerate you touching them, the might squak and go to the other side, but that is ok, keep trying. You don't have to be rough, just a gentle touch on the tail or back or head. You can also pick each of them up after they are done eating and hold them for just a couple of minutes and GENTLY let them down. Don't let them fight and run away from you. Just set them on the ground in front of you, hold them and pet them, then, let go of them and let them waddle off. They will figure out you are not there to hurt them. If you GRAB at them, that is not good either. That is why i said to do this at the end of eating etc. They are busy and not worrying about where you are and won't be inclined to run.

I have duckling eggs setting right now in the incubator. Should be hatched by the 5th of December or so. I don't know a dern thing about shipping live babies or I would sure send you some. DD was just asking me yesterday what we are gonna do with them all.

 

[vfem]

Quote:
That's right. All you can do is promote healthy laying by using layer crumbles and a well balance diet for them. No bird will lay until their hormones are ready and their body is properly developed.

Sorry, I spent MONTHS trying to find ducks and all I could get were a few eggs. I'm greedy and going to keep them. (Unless they are all male! I shouldn't say that.... bad voodooo)

 

[Chicken7777]

Well it would be great to have some pekin duckligs fertile eggs. How could I tell once they hatch which one is male/female? how do the hatcheries do it?
There is still something killing me though.....:/WHAT SHOULD I GET??? adults or babies? i would love to have ducklings so that they do get accustomed to me....but dont know what to get:|