The Duck Thread

[Waddlein]

I got 17 assorted fertile duck eggs online. From your pictures I can tell Pekin ducks are beautiful, and I hope a few of the ducks hatch into Pekin ducklings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I got 17 assorted fertile duck eggs online. From your pictures I can tell Pekin ducks are beautiful, and I hope a few of the ducks hatch into Pekin ducklings.

Hope you get a great hatch.and welcome to BYC!! @Waddlein

 

[dan26552]

  Hope you get a great hatch.and welcome to BYC!!  @Waddlein

X2

 

[EmilyP]

Quote:
Thanks @Miss Lydia. DH says we can't kill every predator on the farm but a boy that works for my FiL catches turtles and sells/gives them to some ppl who eat them. So I may ask him to come down and put a bait line (or whatever they use) and try to decrease the population at least. I know we have a ton of turtles in the pond but no clue as to the types! That would be beneficial to the fish and ducks, win-win! Less than a week till babies I hope!!!!

 

[MandyJ]

@EmilyP this time of year we see sad posts of ducks with feet bit off duckling being eaten goslings too, so you might want to research you tube on how to rid your pond of snapping turtles. There is even a you tube vid on a snapping turtle attacking a duck, I couldn't watch it but it's there if you want to see what one can do to our birds.

Unfortunately, I lost 2 of my ducks to turtles. My little flock of 4 won't go near our pond. Don't watch the video, the process is gruesome to watch! When the turtle got one of my mallards, she was too far out in the pond for me to do anything BUT watch. So sad!!!

Best I know there is only 2 ways of getting rid of them, shoot them or bait a hook for them. Sad for the turtle! But even sadder to see one of your birds get drug under!

Good luck!

 

[MandyJ]

I have a Pekin duck (hen) that wants to sit on eggs. I have no drake therefore the eggs aren't fertile. She will only sit on the nest at night while they are locked up in the enclosure. When I go to let everyone out to free range, she hops off the nest and doesn't return until around 6 pm when I lock them up again. When she leaves the nest, she covers the eggs up with hay, as I have seen other people's pictures of their broody hens nests. Our nights are in the 60's, 70's and sometimes 50's, if this helps.

My question is, if I give her fertile eggs, is she sitting on the eggs long enough to hatch them? Or am I just wasting money by buying eggs?

Thanks!
M

 

[Pharmakultur]

Hello All! I'm new to BYC, so I'm having a little trouble finding my way around!
We have two Peking Ducks, both turned out to be males (surprise surprise

).. And they've been fine and happy all winter, however, now that it's Spring they have started trying to "assert dominance" CONSTANTLY.

They have both lost a lot of feathers and look pretty pathetic... They have plenty of room to run and forage.. Does anyone have any ideas what I should do?? The dominant one who starts 99% of the "fighting" recently started limping, and I can't help but think that it's at least partially because of all of the asserting/chasing/pinning down/fighting he's been doing lately... My thought has been to try to get some hens for the none dominant drake, and cull the aggressive drake... I REALLY don't want the non dominant drake to be alone, but I also hate watching him get picked on constantly!
I've been wanting to get a few khaki Campbells for egg production, but I'm not certain where to look for adult hens... Thank you all for reading!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello All! I'm new to BYC, so I'm having a little trouble finding my way around!
We have two Peking Ducks, both turned out to be males (surprise surprise

).. And they've been fine and happy all winter, however, now that it's Spring they have started trying to "assert dominance" CONSTANTLY.

They have both lost a lot of feathers and look pretty pathetic... They have plenty of room to run and forage.. Does anyone have any ideas what I should do?? The dominant one who starts 99% of the "fighting" recently started limping, and I can't help but think that it's at least partially because of all of the asserting/chasing/pinning down/fighting he's been doing lately... My thought has been to try to get some hens for the none dominant drake, and cull the aggressive drake... I REALLY don't want the non dominant drake to be alone, but I also hate watching him get picked on constantly!
I've been wanting to get a few khaki Campbells for egg production, but I'm not certain where to look for adult hens... Thank you all for reading!

I think your plan would work. Cull the aggressive drake and get your lone drake at least 2-4 females. Try craigslist, feed stores check for poultry swaps in your area.

@Pharmakultur Welcome to BYC

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a Pekin duck (hen) that wants to sit on eggs. I have no drake therefore the eggs aren't fertile. She will only sit on the nest at night while they are locked up in the enclosure. When I go to let everyone out to free range, she hops off the nest and doesn't return until around 6 pm when I lock them up again. When she leaves the nest, she covers the eggs up with hay, as I have seen other people's pictures of their broody hens nests. Our nights are in the 60's, 70's and sometimes 50's, if this helps.

My question is, if I give her fertile eggs, is she sitting on the eggs long enough to hatch them? Or am I just wasting money by buying eggs?

Thanks!
M

She has to sit 24/7 to hatch them so If you want her to hatch ducklings wait till she doesn't come out of a morning or 2 then put in your order. lol Some Pekins will brood all the way through some don't but we have a few members who have dedicated Pekins that have.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Hello All! I'm new to BYC, so I'm having a little trouble finding my way around!
We have two Peking Ducks, both turned out to be males (surprise surprise :/ ).. And they've been fine and happy all winter, however, now that it's Spring they have started trying to "assert dominance" CONSTANTLY.    They have both lost a lot of feathers and look pretty pathetic... They have plenty of room to run and forage.. Does anyone have any ideas what I should do??  The dominant one who starts 99% of the "fighting" recently started limping, and I can't help but think that it's at least partially because of all of the asserting/chasing/pinning down/fighting he's been doing lately... My thought has been to try to get some hens for the none dominant drake, and cull the aggressive drake... I REALLY don't want the non dominant drake to be alone, but I also hate watching him get picked on constantly! 
I've been wanting to get a few khaki Campbells for egg production, but I'm not certain where to look for adult hens... Thank you all for reading! 

We put our boy in time outs when he started a fight. Sounds weird but it actually worked. He hated being penned watching the other ducks play. I'd take him out and as soon as I saw aggression pen him again. Took a few days but he finally stopped.