The Duck Thread

[BLT79]

I called the farm we got our cayuga/pekin mixes from. She has no more drakes or mixes left to sell. Only purebred pekin and Cayuga females. So now duck math time. One or two females? One only? One of each? Or the drake runner? Haha! My chickens are surrounding my lonely duck now! They seem to be standing guard over him. Sweetest thing I have ever seen!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I called the farm we got our cayuga/pekin mixes from. She has no more drakes or mixes left to sell. Only purebred pekin and Cayuga females. So now duck math time. One or two females? One only? One of each? Or the drake runner? Haha! My chickens are surrounding my lonely duck now! They seem to be standing guard over him. Sweetest thing I have ever seen!

If your lone duck is a drake I'd get at least 2 ducks for him or one of these days he'll be after your hens, it's only natural but deadly for the hens. What happen to Frick? sorry for your loss.

 

[BLT79]

He will go after my chickens? We are giving the ducks their own space this spring. Something took our Frick. Thinking fox perhaps. Very mysterious. No sign of a fight in pen. And no drag marks left in snow. Not sure how he would of carried such a good size duck off without a trace. Ok so 2 females then?

 

[Miss Lydia]

He will go after my chickens? We are giving the ducks their own space this spring. Something took our Frick. Thinking fox perhaps. Very mysterious. No sign of a fight in pen. And no drag marks left in snow. Not sure how he would of carried such a good size duck off without a trace. Ok so 2 females then?

Hormones don't take into consideration what species once he gets sexual he will see the hens as perspective mate and ducks and chickens are not anatomically made to have intimate relations. Yes I'd get at least 2-3 ducks and give them their own honey moon space, having more than one duck will keep one from being mated to often.

 

[BLT79]

Ok. Now to decide on pekin or Cayuga. Are the pekin females louder? They seem to be when I see them at shows. What age do ducks reach their sexual maturity? Thanks for help!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok. Now to decide on pekin or Cayuga. Are the pekin females louder? They seem to be when I see them at shows. What age do ducks reach their sexual maturity? Thanks for help!

I think Pekins can be pretty chatty not sure about Cayugas though,. around 4-5 months the drakes begin to notice the opposite sex. By 6 months they are ready. That's what I see here anyway.

 

[sutherland]

I got my first duck eggs yesterday I assume but were found this morning one was crushed into the floor the other just a crack from being frozen I'm just curious if it is normal for them to lay when it is so cold I have pekins and Muscovies I assume they were both from pekins but I don't know for sure one was white the crushed one the other was blueish green it is jan 30 and we'll below freezing I thought ducks only laid when it was warmer due to last year when I was asking people in my community if I could have some eggs to incubate and no one was getting any and it was may I do believe has anyone else had ducks lay in wih cold weather for example today is -11 Celsius without wind chill

 

[PrayingMantis]

Ok so I got 4 eggs today BUT 1 egg is half green and half white! My laying girls give white eggs. So I'm guessing the colored egg came from my pencil runner girl? What color do they lay? And I think I may have identified the duck not laying. One of my KC girls has been walking around with her head low to her body and her body fluffed and shaking as if she's cold. Like she is trembling. My thoughts are to crate her and bring her inside for 24hrs to observe her and make sure she's eating and drinking. I checked her over yesterday and I can't see anything alarming but she certainly is walking around like she is a tom turkey all fluffed but no attitude like she usually has. I figure the temp inside won't shock her when she goes out again tomorrow given we are to have temps in the 40s. I don't want to shock her with 70s indoor and 20s outside. Any suggestions on my plan?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I got my first duck eggs yesterday I assume but were found this morning one was crushed into the floor the other just a crack from being frozen I'm just curious if it is normal for them to lay when it is so cold I have pekins and Muscovies I assume they were both from pekins but I don't know for sure one was white the crushed one the other was blueish green it is jan 30 and we'll below freezing I thought ducks only laid when it was warmer due to last year when I was asking people in my community if I could have some eggs to incubate and no one was getting any and it was may I do believe has anyone else had ducks lay in wih cold weather for example today is -11 Celsius without wind chill

Some of my Muscovy's are laying, we were at -1 this morning, I think it's length of daylight more than temps. although right now only 3 are laying the other 8 haven't started yet.

 

[sutherland]

What color eggs do ur Muscovies lay also is this there first eggs or are they older ladies thanks