teen age pekin ducks

[DaJay]

I have a question please. I have 2 TSC pekin ducks, hoping one was female. But not so! I got peepers and quackers march 30, 2013. I have a chance to get some female pekins approximately the same age, along with some khaki campbells. I want the boys to have company of their own kind, since they are kinda eye-balling the pullets. Can anyone tell me what I have to do to introduce the approx like age birds into my flock now? The chickens and ducks have been together all their short little time here, all of 14 weeks. I am fully prepared to separate the ducks from the chickens if the ducks start to get too frisky with the hens. I don't want them hurt. But again the question is: best way to introduce approximate like age ducks with existing ducks?

 

[jdywntr]

The best way to intro new flock mates is to have the new birds physically seperated but within eyesight of the originals. Both your drakes and your chickens will need to get used to the new additions. Quarntine, at it's best, should be at least 30 days. Many don't quarantine new birds but with grown birds, you don't know what they may have been introduced to so it is best to wait at least 30 days.

How many ducks are you planning on getting?

 

[DaJay]

I am going to go look at a couple khaki and pekins. 8 in all I believe. They have mallards, but I am not sure that I would like to have those.

 

[jdywntr]

I would probably avoid the mallards as they are about 1/5th the size of the pekin. KC would be a better bet but still small so you may want to just get pekin females. Your drakes will be very large 8-10lbs or more and could injure a smaller female.

Typically, 4-6 females per drake is recommended but sometimes you can get away with less. Keep an eye on the drakes, pekin are know n to be overly amourous. And keep an eye on the females to make sure they aren't being overbred.

 

[DaJay]

thank you!