I am wondering what experiences have been with Pekin ducks from the usual hatcheries.
I got some Pekins substituted for ducks I ordered. I wouldn't have had them otherwise. They are marvelous. Very calm, very fast growing, overly friendly so they are so easy to work with. They don't flap around spilling their feed and water, nor do they ever run anywhere, so they have eaten very little feed considering their weight gain.
Here's the problem. Pekins are so obviously the duck to raise for the table. But do I save a couple of these for breeders? Or do I risk buying Pekins from a hatchery in the spring and risk not getting the same kind of duck at all?
The difference between my show Swedish and hatchery Swedish is so enormous that they could be a different breed entirely. I am worried that the difference between these wonderful show Pekins and hatchery Pekins might make me think I've received a different breed of duck.
My hatchery Blues are high strung and wasteful and have not had any kind of growth at all, considering what they've eaten and spilled. I don't want Pekins anything like that.
Unfortunately, the ducks are marvelous but the breeder is too difficult to work with. I won't ever buy from him again. So no more ducks from the same place, which would be the obvious solution.
So troops? What do you think?
I got some Pekins substituted for ducks I ordered. I wouldn't have had them otherwise. They are marvelous. Very calm, very fast growing, overly friendly so they are so easy to work with. They don't flap around spilling their feed and water, nor do they ever run anywhere, so they have eaten very little feed considering their weight gain.
Here's the problem. Pekins are so obviously the duck to raise for the table. But do I save a couple of these for breeders? Or do I risk buying Pekins from a hatchery in the spring and risk not getting the same kind of duck at all?
The difference between my show Swedish and hatchery Swedish is so enormous that they could be a different breed entirely. I am worried that the difference between these wonderful show Pekins and hatchery Pekins might make me think I've received a different breed of duck.
My hatchery Blues are high strung and wasteful and have not had any kind of growth at all, considering what they've eaten and spilled. I don't want Pekins anything like that.
Unfortunately, the ducks are marvelous but the breeder is too difficult to work with. I won't ever buy from him again. So no more ducks from the same place, which would be the obvious solution.
So troops? What do you think?