Pekin Ducks Reveiws?

[Echo5]

Hi there,

Im a newbie and am planning to get 2 Pekin Ducks to go with 3 Bantam Chickens(females), I'd be getting them as chicks and ducklings. Should I just get 2 Female Pekins, or that and 1 male. Will the male mate with my banties or be a distruction of peace amoung the others? I would like to have ducklings when they get older but not sure if getting a male right away is bad or if its actually better because they grow up together... A friend has ducks so would it be smart to just borrow a male for a while to get ducklings or is that a bad idea? I dont have too much space in housing so dont want too many birds. I have enough for about 6 full grown birds.

Thanks!

 

[Melinda35]

I have Pekin ducks that I got two years ago with my first order of chicks. I would get one male and one female when you get your chicks and have them all grow up together. Ducks are very messy. My ducks sleep in the coop with the chickens. I have two small tubs outside the coop for them to splash around in. They eat the chicken food like crazy! They also love treats just like the chickens. Mine are not very friendly to me, as in I can't hold them, but they are so fun to watch. They had been good layers until the male duck was killed. I have not gotten an egg since! Not sure why. I would not think they need the male to lay an egg but I have not researched this either.

 

[Echo5]

Thanks so much, that really helps! Did you keep the male seperate or together, and did the male pester much? And from what i've researched i dont think you need a male for egg production, it defenetly speeds it up and encourages the female to lay, but I've herd with chickens and stuff, if their stressed/depressed they wont lay. So it could be that she was attached to the one that got killed, therefore could be depressed. Still a newbie but thats just somthing i've herd.
Thanks again!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Drakes, can and will try to breed chickens and it can kill them. Not to mention the fact a Pekin is huge compared to any bantam breed of chicken. Drakes are like 14 year old human boys on the hormone front.

Just because someone has had ducks and chickens together with no issues, doesn't say it can't happen. We rehomed a drake who wanted to attack everyone from chickens to geese to dogs. He just wasn't happy with his duck heram.

 

[Echo5]

oops, clicked the wrong button...

 

[Echo5]

Drakes, can and will try to breed chickens and it can kill them. Not to mention the fact a Pekin is huge compared to any bantam breed of chicken. Drakes are like 14 year old human boys on the hormone front.
Just because someone has had ducks and chickens together with no issues, doesn't say it can't happen. We rehomed a drake who wanted to attack everyone from chickens to geese to dogs. He just wasn't happy with his duck heram.

Thanks for the info, good to know, and I know their like any animal they may or may not get along, but im getting them as ducklings and chicks so hopefully as they grow together and get along. Still sitting on the fence of getting a drake anyway, if i end up getting one and theres a problem, they are easy to get ride of lol. Great to see different opinions, awesome learning experience.

 

[Ilovemyduckies]

I have Pekin ducks that I got two years ago with my first order of chicks. I would get one male and one female when you get your chicks and have them all grow up together. Ducks are very messy. My ducks sleep in the coop with the chickens. I have two small tubs outside the coop for them to splash around in. They eat the chicken food like crazy! They also love treats just like the chickens. Mine are not very friendly to me, as in I can't hold them, but they are so fun to watch. They had been good layers until the male duck was killed. I have not gotten an egg since! Not sure why. I would not think they need the male to lay an egg but I have not researched this either.

That happened to me too! Every time I would separate the male from the girls, they would top laying until I put the drake back with them. Then, my drake died, and they haven't laid an egg since (even though I've got a different drake).

 

[Melinda35]

Thanks so much, that really helps! Did you keep the male seperate or together, and did the male pester much? And from what i've researched i dont think you need a male for egg production, it defenetly speeds it up and encourages the female to lay, but I've herd with chickens and stuff, if their stressed/depressed they wont lay. So it could be that she was attached to the one that got killed, therefore could be depressed. Still a newbie but thats just somthing i've herd.
Thanks again!

I never separated my males from the females or from the chickens. They have all lived happily in the same coop. The ducks sleep on the floor and the chickens on the roost. Now I had six ducks altogether and only one was male. My male duck never tried anything with my chickens possibly because he had plenty of females to go around. I do remember him being a bully to the females at first. He would bite them when they tried to get in the water with him. It was funny at first and then I started worrying about it but before too long he stopped so I did not have to intervene. But like CelticOaksFarm said just because I didn't have any trouble doesn't mean you wont. Every animal/person has its own personality and demeanor. And yes they are much, much bigger than a bantam even when they are first hatched.