When will me Pekin start laying?

[Silvester]

I have 3 Pekins, 2 males and a female and 2 male Rouens. The males don't fight so far, but there is a hierarchy to who gets to go first - if you know what I mean!

One of my chickens started laying a couple weeks ago and the ducks are about the same age. Will the duck start laying soon?

I have the ducks and chickens sharing a "coop" (it's actually a horse stall) and they don't fight, but I'm wondering if the ducks have vastly different living needs?
They have a small basin to wash in.
I have a rabbit hutch in the "coop" that the ducks seem to like to sleep under. Do I need to put in a more confined shelter for the female to start laying? I have a plastic dog house for a medium sized dog, would that be good for her?

This is my first flock, so I have little to no idea what I'm doing, so I come here with all my questions...

 

[jdywntr]

I have 3 Pekins, 2 males and a female and 2 male Rouens. The males don't fight so far, but there is a hierarchy to who gets to go first - if you know what I mean!

One of my chickens started laying a couple weeks ago and the ducks are about the same age. Will the duck start laying soon?

I have the ducks and chickens sharing a "coop" (it's actually a horse stall) and they don't fight, but I'm wondering if the ducks have vastly different living needs?
They have a small basin to wash in.
I have a rabbit hutch in the "coop" that the ducks seem to like to sleep under. Do I need to put in a more confined shelter for the female to start laying? I have a plastic dog house for a medium sized dog, would that be good for her?

This is my first flock, so I have little to no idea what I'm doing, so I come here with all my questions...

HI.

I'm sorry to say it, but you have WAY to many drakes. You really need to either rehome the female, get more females about 16-20 would do, rehome 3 of the drakes or create a bachelor area far from the female.

The duck may start laying soon. Are they mating yet? If so, or when they do, she may be too stressed to lay as all 4 of those boys will go after her, constantly.

A quiet, safe, darkened area similar to a chicken's nestbox, will work. She doesn't need to be confined to lay, she will when she's ready.

Finally, because you have so many drakes, they will begin trying to mate with your chickens at some point which is dangerous and can be deadly for the chicken.

I'm sorry that this isn't great answers, and probably not what you were hoping to hear but it is the reality of duck owndership.

 

[Silvester]

Trust me when I tell you, it was NOT intentional!!
I bought 6 ducklings, one perished and one turned out to be female when I was hoping for ALL to be female!

I would LOVE to rehome them if I can get someone to at least lie to me and say they won't kill them...
I'd even trade 2 for 1 to get confirmed females!

They ARE trying to mate. First thing in the morning when I open the door they all run out to/near the pool and take turns - I'm confident she is under a great deal of stress being the village bicycle.

I thought of using the plastic dog house the previous own left in the yard, but it likely smells of dog and I don't know if that matters.

I had read other warnings about drakes and chickens and I see that my brown leghorn rooster makes it a point to keep the chickens separate from the ducks - I bought 6 chicks for eggs and ended up with 3 roosters (the leghorn and 2 golden laced wyandottes)!! <-- willing to trade the 2 wyandottes for 1 confirmed female of any breed other than buff orpington or sex link with the same convincing lie!

I'm sure I could take them to the local Amish, but I know they'd be on the dinner table within a few days...

 

[lilliesanchicks]

You could look up your state here and post them.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you

Also if you use Facebook look up your county or town swap group and post them there and there is always Craigs list.

 

[Silvester]

I did almost all of those after my initial post, but thanks for the idea!