White Crested and Jumbo Peking... compatible?

[Duck Lady1]

I have 2 jumbo peking females I raised since a year ago and they are so sweet and happy! We are in a neighborhood with many ponds and my neighbors LOVE LOVE seeing them swim about all day! I keep them safe in a coop at night. I have often told myself I want them to have more sisters in case something happens to one of them.

So I'm looking to add two more girls to their set. I do understand it takes time to introduce them to each other.

For now I'm just considering whether to get babies or full grown girls. Here is what I'm thinking... any advice?

1 - I'm thinking about white crested bc I just love their look and it would add a sweet dimension to owning ducks. - Is white crested the best breed to consider for white ducks with a tuft as I'm looking at? Are the breeds compatible - will they feel the same to me as the peking or are their personalities rather different?

2 - Babies or full grown - which is best for integrated with my existing gal ducks?

 

[SolarDuck]

Personally I wouldn't buy white crested because the crest isn't really a breed it's more of a deformity. Ducks will grab onto the crest while mating eachother and that can lead to injury. If you do get them they will probably get along with you and your pekins just fine.

 

[gardavis2]

We bought 6 White Crested ducklings and it turned out to be 2 females and 4 males. We re-homed the 2 females to a family farm with several Pekins. When we brought them to the pen, they immediately joined the Pekins running, following, swimming so I think they will be fine.

They are a skittish breed - everything scares them but they are fun and the four guys swim in the lake all day sticking very close together. Lately they have been fighting (9 months old) a bit some saying it is due to hormones.

 

[Duck Lady1]

ha ha - I'll have the opposite - four girls! I think they will get along better in the spring!

I'm also not as worried about injury due to mating bc I have no males - I don't think they breed with the wild ducks do they?

 

[FuzzyCritters]

Don't get crested ducks! The "crest" is actually caused by a hole in their skull filled by fatty tissue. These ducks are prone to head trauma and some even suffer from seizures and neurological defects because the fatty tissue takes up part of their brain space.

 

[SolarDuck]

ha ha - I'll have the opposite - four girls! I think they will get along better in the spring!

I'm also not as worried about injury due to mating bc I have no males - I don't think they breed with the wild ducks do they?

They could breed with the wild ducks, if you have no males rhey will probably try to. Also female ducks will "mate" eachother when they have no males so the possibility of injury from that does not go away.

 

[Duck Lady1]

Oh, that makes me sad to hear! I've already bought them!!!!

I'm actually really excited about it though. It seems that many have had good fortune with them, so I'll at least give them a good home.

 

[gardavis2]

We have some wild ducks in our small lake. There is a pair of Florida Mottled ducks that hang around and our 4 guys go after them but they are fast and if ours get too close, they will fly a few feet away. The guys have never gotten to them.

Also, we have some Moscovy ducks fly in, hang around, and then fly off. Again, our ducks follow them around but can't get close enough.

I think you will enjoy your new ducks!

 

[KaleIAm]

Oh, that makes me sad to hear! I've already bought them!!!!

I'm actually really excited about it though. It seems that many have had good fortune with them, so I'll at least give them a good home.

I have a crested pekin. She's a wonderful duck and I adore her. I adopted her as an adult and I love her poofy crest. Like others say, it does come with health risks. My all female flock mates and they hold on to my crested duck's poof. She's much safer than if I had her with males, but the risk remains. She also has all kinds of feather issues and the vets comment on how it is because she is extra poofy. Of course the vet techs tell me they took photos of her because she's the cutest thing ever. And she is!

1) My crested duck mostly gets along great with my other ducks. I've had 6 ducks of mixed breeds over 6 years, and my crested had been here the entire time. Only in the last couple years she has gotten a bit grumpy and started picking on the duck lowest in the pecking order. Nothing major.

2) I think you should wait until your ducklings are adults to introduce them to your current ducks.