Peking Ducks

[barrybro]

I processed 20 peking ducks over the weekend. This was my first attempt at ducks. They were fun to raise but man do they go through the water. They also attack the grass which is great.

I needed to keep them a few more weeks as their final weights were between 3.0 and 3.2 pounds. Very little variation at all.

Barry

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

how old were they at butcher? and is that live weight or carcass?

 

[barrybro]

They were 7.5 weeks and the weight is the carcass weight.

They look really good, just a little on the small side. I was hoping for 4 pounders.

Barry

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I'm impressed! I'm going to try ducks next spring for the first time. (ekins and muscovies I have decided) I love hearing others experiences right now!

 

[barrybro]

I was using two 5 gallon waterers for 20 pekings I filled them in the morning and at night. The water was either gone or nearly gone every time. I am going to keep my eyes out for a suitable trough waterer that will hold more.

My two big take aways are more time and I need to use a different watering system.

Barry

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

all of my pens have 5 gallon nipple waterers. but with the new chicken barn I'm building I'm putting in one long nipple system with a 55 gallon drum. But I don't know if ducks would get enough water from a nipple system???
we raised two ducks this year (Khaki Cambels) just to see if it was any different or harder than chickens before next years foray into a few more. We just let them run free, they have a cement mixer tub to swim in and drink out of, it was no problem at all (of course that's only 2 ducks) but I was planning on just putting in a small fake pond for the ones next year. I hope that works!

 

[Ariel301]

They sure do go through the water! I've got five pekins and a runner right now, older ducks that I got for free and I'm going to butcher them when I get some free time. I got them on a few hours' notice, so I put them in with my chickens, and now the chicken run is a sticky, muddy, soggy, stinky mess from those ducks! They're spilling about 20 gallons a day out of their pool. They're cute, but I will be glad to have them gone, I think I will save duck raising for when we have a bigger property and don't have to keep them so near the house, they smell!

 

[Marko]

Do Moscovies thats my verdict they gain the weight fast but i like to keep them for about 16weeks ish. Makes a nice 7lb dressed bird

 

[ourflockof4]

Quote:
I don't think that they will do very well with the regular nipples. Check with Neil Grassbaugh, he has some water bells that will work with your setup that would be ideal for ducks.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

ourflock - thanks for info
marko - thanks, I'm going to try both muscovies and pekins as I've heard on here that they taste really different and I want to see which my family likes better. although 3.5 pounds at 7.5 weeks sounds like a pretty decent rate of gain as well!