raising pekin ducks

Speaking of routine, for many days after we moved them to the large coop, at night we would find the ducks trying to walk to the garage, where they had been sleeping before. Having two males in a small flock is not productive. Pekins rarely sit on their eggs so an alternative incubation method is required. Pekin eggs, like most descendants of the mallard, take approximately 28 days to hatch and will require consistent temperature and humidity as well as the tedious turning of the egg throughout the day. As we continued to modify the coop, our goal was to mechanize as much as possible so that we could leave the birds for a couple days at a time if we needed to go out of town, and they’d be okay. I know they would not sleep in a duck house so I am trying to think of the better answer like creating a nice environment and a shelter they can go under for comfort and shelter instead of inside of a pen. We had read that raising Pekin ducks with chickens was doable and that the two could cohabitate. 7 Plants You Can Grow for Homemade Duck Feed. So I followed the ducks when I let them out to see if they had hidden a nest somewhere in the yard. As I write this article on raising Pekin ducks, there are twelve eggs inside: the same amount that our neighbor’s duck had when hers were eaten so many years ago. I left them be and came back later to look at the nest. They’re the white ducks you see everywhere. It would have been smart to have our plan completely developed before we got them so that they could have learned their routine from the start instead of changing things around on them so often. Finally we decided that we needed to try something more drastic. If you want to guarantee your ducks set multiple nests each year, you’ll need to take away those... 2. Next I put in some fresh straw and moved as much of their nest as I could inside, including the two eggs the female had already laid. Housing your ducks I went up and told my husband: they are nesting! They acted like something was bothering them at night. We filled a baby pool each morning for the ducks to swim in. There is so much to learn! The only problem with the scenario was that someone would have to be there to let the ducks in and out of the run. So we built them a duck house for nightime. I have purchased ducklings for $3.20 each, which … Our farm has a lovely pond, and we thought the ducks would be a fun addition to our adventure raising birds. Now if we get a new generation of ducklings they will start things off right and learn their routines from the beginning without having to go through so much trial and error. ✰ It is always advised to get ducklings instead of a grownup duck, because, ducks are unfamiliar to humans and they take their own time to get familiar with the environment. Once they get used to doing something, it takes them a while to learn a new procedure. 10 Important Things to Consider When Building a Duck Coop, Muscovy Duck: The Most Unique Ducks You Can Own, Complete Guide to Incubating Duck Eggs for Optimal Hatch Rates. My husband built large food and water containers that can hold a week’s worth of supplies. Initially the ducks seemed to think that if they just pretended the chickens weren’t there, they would go away. Then something exciting happened on our journey raising Pekin ducks: the ducks started laying eggs in a corner of the run. I read that a paint tray is a good place to start them swimming because the one side acts like an easy ramp so they can walk out when they get tired. Their large eggs are great in wonderfully flavorful baked goods, aioli, and more. A pekin duck is docile and well-adapted to local Philippine climate. How to Raise Pekin Ducks From Ducklings Step 1. It causes bleeding. Provide the ducks with a small, shallow bowl of water that is not deep enough in which … Then we wrapped welded wire around it and held it in place with wire clips. Whether it's Pekins, Cayugas, Indian runners, Call ducks, or Khakis, they are all part of the same mallard species. We made them a little ramp so they could move back and forth as they pleased. https://backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com/poultry-101/raising-pekin-ducks Pekin Duck Pekin duck is native in China belonging to the meat type of ducks. Finally, I put some food and water inside for the ducks. Then the ducks tried being bossy for a bit, using their size to chase the chickens away from the food and water, but within a few days, everyone seemed to have made their peace. The Pekin ducks are a large, hardy breed with excellent egg production, but they do not fly and do not normally hatch and raise their own young. Their first home was a large plastic tub with a screen on the bottom that my husband made so that the watery mess they made would pass through. Every night they simply cozied up together in the grass under the henhouse so we let them be and gave up hope on the house for a while. They are extremely social, so consider raising at least three and preferably 5 or 6 together. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Thus, for first-time duck parents we’d recommend getting a sexed run from Metzer Farms. They seemed scared to make the jump from the baby pool into the much larger pond. One of the most popular duck breeds is called the Pekin. This was not the case though. Your email address will not be published. Disclosure. This is why an automatic incubator is often the preferred choice to incubate eggs. Do you still feed them? Some modifications need to be addressed when raising ducks, and they add a new dimension to your barnyard. So we picked a spot nearby, a little closer to the pond, where we could place the duck house and enclose it with a welded wire fence. I have them in my back yard. We came in one afternoon and found them shivering and wet from swimming in their drinking water. Pekins or Pekin/Aylesbury crosses are also the most popular commercial meat ducks used in Australia. A good flock makeup is a three females or a male with 4 or 5 females. We began collecting the eggs and eating them. Our idea was that the ducks would be in the run at night to keep them safe from predators, but that we would let them out in the morning to spend the day down at the pond. Waiting to see how it goes. I began raising broiler chickens for meat and I like freezing them for winter. #quackquack #pekin #duck #chatty #iamcountryside #farmlife #backyardpoultrymag, A post shared by @ phillipsfarmbatavia on Apr 20, 2018 at 3:41pm PDT. He drew up plans to motorize the chicken door to open and close with a light sensor. I don’t see a feeder or water in the pen. Even they feel lonely and dejected just like humans do. Magpie Ducks: Adorable Dual-Purpose Duck Breed, How to Choose the Right Duck Breeds for You, How to Raise Ducklings More Naturally in a Brooder, How to Raise Ducks for Meat Economically and Sustainably, Feeding Ducks: What Do Ducks Eat, What NOT to Feed, and Everything Else You Need to Know, 5 Ways to Use Duck Poop to Enrich Your Edible Landscape Soil, Khaki Campbell Duck: An Impressive Egg Producer, Duck Nesting Habits and 7 Tricks to Collect Clean Duck Eggs Easily, Silver Appleyard Duck: A Heritage, Dual-Purpose Breed. https://www.newlifeonahomestead.com/raising-ducks-ultimate-guide It took more days of throwing them out there to get them into the routine of going in the water but eventually they got it and began heading straight down to the water when we let them out in the morning. Hopefully, in reading this, you too can learn from some of our mistakes and have a smoother process in getting started with raising Pekin ducks of your own. The first egg was almost the size of my palm. We built a raft from PVC boards and foam insulation, floating it in the pool to make sure it wouldn’t sink. One day a groundhog came, as she had left briefly to get water and ate all the eggs. From a friend of the family, we inherited a small henhouse and a run made of a wooden frame covered with welded wire. They had found a protected spot in between two downed trees, in a pile of dry sycamore leaves, to make a nest. Ducks living in a natural environment, where they have access to sunlight and can eat grasses and greens and insects, produce meat (and eggs) with a natural balance of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids. Raising Pekin Ducks For Sustainable Meat Production. The towel had to be changed often though. I’d like to share with you some of the information about raising Pekin ducks we have learned from our experiences at Phillips Farm. The yolks were rich yellow, almost orange, and one egg was a big breakfast because of its large size. I drove four t-posts into the ground for support. Along with an expanded home, the ducklings soon required more water for swimming so we upgraded from the paint tray to the bathtub. Our hope was that this would keep them from standing in muck. That is something we learned through our process of trial and error as we moved through various stages of homes with our birds. Pekin Ducks. Most ducks are purchased from hatcheries as day-old ducklings. She had laid 12 eggs then began sitting on them. Duck Raised Ducklings Very good writing about Pekin Ducks. My husband and I decided to start raising Pekin ducks kind of on a whim. It didn’t take more than a couple weeks for them to outgrow their first home. Most Cornish Cross chickens are butchered at 8. During the days, they floated about on the opposite side of the pond, and in the evening, they still waddled up the hill and waited to be let into the chicken coop. They could not get up the walls of the bathtub without me picking them up so I stayed nearby. If you let her raise out the ducklings, that will save you a lot of work. The feathers are growing in nicely. They quickly gained popularity as a breed of ducklings to raise in the US because of their hardy, useful natures. The optimum temperature for Pekin ducks drops as they grow and mature. Many of the eggs had a double yolk. The following 101, on raising ducks, comes from a HOMEGROWN contributor Lauren Klouda, of Honest Desires Farm.Lauren has broken each section below into two parts: First come the nuts and bolts that any prospective duck keeper needs to know (“the basics”), followed by insights Lauren has gleaned herself (“our experience”). Since most duck breeds don’t roost like chickens do, they are … They are tucked neatly in rows around the edge of the straw nest. I’m too doing a small farm of White Pekin Ducks at home. They told us a tale of when their female had built a nest under a pine tree by the pond. At night the chickens moved into the small coop and the ducks walked or were carried over to the garage, where we had moved their expanded home from the house. Pekins originated in China, and immigrants brought them over mid-19th century. We answer why we have ducks. They are very smart and beautiful. Umm you have something in your nose. I am cleaning my yard and getting my garden together to make it more safe, I know there are natural predators, I just pray they stay safe until I find them a good home…. After a week or so, though, the eggs stopped coming. I let the ducks out and took the two eggs that she had abandoned. We had no boat and no way to physically put the ducks into the duck house. Most places will give you a lower price per bird if you buy more than a few at a time. But have a problem. I wrote down a few o… Like the Aylesbury, Pekins seldom go broody. The cost of the ducklings is one of the biggest variables in this project. Sometimes it is mistaken for a goose because it carries its body rather upright. Soon we switched to paper towels, which could go into the compost. I was told that they are not supposed to be indoor pets. Step 2. During their second week of life, keep your ducklings at about 81 degrees. Raising Ducks: What Ducks Eat And How To Care For Them | HGTV From the start, the ducks were terrified of their duck house. Pekin Duck Meat Production If you are like me and cannot fathom butchering these adorable and affable ducks, the quality of their meat production may not interest you at all. Both chickens and ducks should be raised in a flock and not alone. For now, feel free to continue reading. The mating ritual of a breeding duck can be hard to watch, it helps to make sure the girls are happ… I have Pekin dusks(2). Oh well, I thought, it’s a fresh start. The ducks stayed as far away from it as possible! … Again it was time for them to learn a new routine. We ran more welded wire over the top, using zip ties to hold it all together. It was obvious from their attempts to swim in their bowl that the ducklings wanted to be in water. Required fields are marked *. (Raising as many different animals and Poultry as we do, people often ask what is the best way to get started with a particular species. Babies. Getting started with ducks on the homestead is easy, really. Looking back now, we probably weren’t ready for our ducklings, but we have learned much through trial and error and nobody is too much worse for the wear. It was taking us longer than expected to finish building our final chicken/duck coop so we decided to set up the smaller run in the front yard to get the birds outside until the larger building was complete. We knew we had to find a way to enclose the nest or at least build the ducks a safe place to nest near the pond. … So far quiet and peaceful. Aim for 73 degrees during their third week. For starters, ducks are easy to raise even in a small urban backyard. The Difference in Gender. We had some Pekins that grew so fast, they were ready for butcher in 6 weeks. We hauled the house out of the pond, cut the opening even wider, and put it into place under the willow tree. Raising ducks for meat is just as easy as raising chickens for meat. The mainstay of the meat duck industry is probably the White Pekin duck. When raising Pekin ducks, you’ll learn that the ducklings tire easily when they are first learning to swim, and can drown if they don’t have a way out of the water. It will also save you... 3. Next we worked on fencing. Pekin ducks are possibly the most popular breed of ducklings to raise in the United States. This homemade container held a lot more water, allowed them to submerse their heads and minimized splashing. I found that the female duck had thrown the two eggs I moved out onto the ground, but she had made a new nest of straw at the back of the duck house and in it was a new egg. They are, without doubt, a larger bird than the Rouen, and for their beauty and size a great acquisition to our poultry stock. Days passed and the ducks were everywhere but the pond…, …enjoying the shade of the corn in the garden…, …trying to get back into the coop with the chickens…. Everyone was locked up for the evening, safe from predators. We examined where the ducks had put their nest and determined there was no way to safely fence it in with the huge downed trees on either side. A heat lamp clipped to the side of the container seemed just right for warmth. In it were two large eggs. We are waiting anxiously to see if the female will start sitting on them soon and perhaps hatch some ducklings. We did this routine for a couple of weeks until finally the coop was finished. We decided to give this a try. We expanded by cutting a hole in the side of the container and placing it in a larger cube my husband built of plywood and lined with plastic, still inside our home. They really don’t care much for a pen, they can be encouraged but would prefer to sleep where they please. Usually they only swam for 15 minutes at a time. I went out in the morning to find nothing in the run. About Raising Ducklings 1. They are smart creatures, capable of learning to do something new, but it takes time and consistency to change their behavior. We tried walking them down to the pond, but they ran about in every direction trying to avoid the water. Cost to purchase the ducklings: $7.00 each I’ve paid anywhere from $1.00 each (I was in the right place at the right time) to $3.20 (bulk order). My husband used some scrap metal we had sitting around and welded together a simple gate for the enclosure. Please suggest me its solution sir. Our ducks were free roamers but they were making to much noise at night. We decided when it came to raising Pekin ducks, we wanted three; one for each of our sons to name. They preferred to sleep under the henhouse. Place the ducklings in an enclosure that is large enough for them to walk around and explore. Pekin ducks are good layers, and duckling are ready for market at 2 to 3 months old. A normal everyday price for Pekin ducklings seems to stay around the $7 mark for small orders. Often an incubator or broody hen will get the job done. They drank a lot and enjoyed sticking their whole heads down into the water, which was impossible with a chicken waterer. Other meat breeds include the Aylesbury, Rouen, and Muscovy duck. We brought our ducklings home the day they were born: adorable, yellow, fuzz balls. The Pekin and Rouen are the most popular farm flock meat ducks. Can You Keep Ducks and Chickens Together? Also, a female:male ratio lower than 3:1 will lead to over-mated female ducks and a higher likelihood of injury. Most times, people choose to raise ducks for meat or for eggs. So as the days progressed, we continued to walk the ducks to their new home each night and the female continued to lay eggs in her new nest. Soon after a raccoon killed the mom too. We have been getting asked a lot why we raise ducks and what do you use them for. I kept going down toward the pond, though, and there near the edge of the woods, the second male was standing guard while the female was tucked into a nest of dried leaves laying her egg. I made them a bigger water container by cutting windows into the sides of an old vinegar jug. On the other hand, if you’re raising ducks purely for pets or meat production, you can get all males. Choosing a duck breed. This led us to research possibilities for housing the ducks separately. It is … Ducks do need a water source for dipping their heads. They splashed joyfully and also enjoyed walking around in the grass eating dandelion heads. So it could be up to 2 weeks less of growout time for the ducks! Raising ducks for eggs and bug control (and giggles) Raising ducks can be so simple and rewarding. We were picking out the birds for our chicken flock and saw the ducklings on the hatchery’s site. I saw one duck wandering around aimlessly in the grass, like he was trying to cause a distraction. Buy Pekin Ducks and ducklings online from Metzer Farms – we have live Pekin Ducks and baby ducks for sale online. The birds spent the days together in the run. They tried to swim to the edge and come back out initially, but we blocked their passage, and they spent the whole rest of the day out on the water. © 2021, Countryside - All Rights Reserved, Ask the Expert — December 2014/January 2015, Ask the Expert —December 2015/January 2016. They stayed off to the side with their backs turned to the chickens, but the smaller birds way outnumbered the ducks and their curiosity soon drew them in close. Raising ducks for meat is an easy, efficient way to raise your own meat. ✰ Ducks are outdoor animals and cannot b… In our first week of raising Pekin ducks, we picked a sunny afternoon and got them out in the yard in a large paint tray for their first swim. Generally, lots of 10 to 25 are minimum orders. When people think about raising ducks, they often envision this white duck as the stereotype. The larger enclosed part of the building was for the chickens, and we built a small duck house for the three of them to sleep in at night. Provide extra straw in the duck coop. Can You Feed Ducklings Medicated Chick Starter? We began reading information about ducks: different duck types, what do ducks eat, what type of housing do they need, can chickens and ducks live together, how fast do they grow etc. One variety of duck however, is descended from a different species: Muscovies. So we continued to let them in the run for the night with the chickens while we brainstormed how to proceed. Raising Ducks. They are a nervous breed and need to be handled carefully so that egg production and rate of weight gain are not affected. I kept a close eye on the babes and when they seemed tired I took them out. We used the trailer to dump it into the pond, tied a rope to it so that we could pull it back to shore, and shoved it out into the water. We put a towel on half of the screen to give them something softer to stand and lay on. Your email address will not be published. So if you are keeping a duck, then keep another one for company. Keep ducklings less than 1 week old at 86 degrees Fahrenheit. What should I do? If left alone, it will become hard for them to survive. One thing you’ll learn when raising Pekin ducks is that ducks are animals that thrive on routine. You should keep a minimum of three ducks or three chickens together to create a flock environment. So I picked up one duck and my husband got the other two. I have 40 ducks. We counted to three and then threw them as far out into the water as we could. When I took them out, I dried them as best as I could with a towel and quickly put them back in their home with the heat lamp. When raising Pekin ducks, you’ll discover the ducks grow fast. The run was really the first time that the ducks and chickens were together in one space. ✰ Ducks being a social animal crave for company. Sometimes the chickens stood at the edge and drank from the pool too. But, if you do want to raise one of the best multi-purpose meat and egg duck breeds in … In the mornings, we shooed the ducks out of the run before opening the door for the chickens. We spoke with our neighbors, who lived in our house many years ago and raised ducks here too. https://rurallivingtoday.com/backyard-chickens-roosters/raising-ducks At first we thought they were chicken eggs, but we figured out it was one of the ducks laying because we found the eggs before the chickens were let out in the morning and they were huge. Then we widened the opening on the duck house, hoping this would make it more appealing for the ducks, and loaded it on the raft. However, there are other duck breeds that you can choose from. Finally, we feel like we have a home in place for the ducks where their needs are met and they seem happy. My pekin ducks often quarrel among themselves. Ducklings should be brooded in a clean, heated environment for about two weeks. Ducks are easy to raise, require little effort beyond clean water and food, and are winter-hardy animals. We tried picking them up and putting them in the duck house, luring them in with food, leaving the roof open so it felt less enclosed…but they refused to go in it. Each morning the ducks came out and went straight into the pond. Multiple Hatches The ducklings seemed to spend most of their time out in the bigger run area, laying around on each other. Stay tuned for the first newsletter in the morning, straight to your inbox. One of the reasons we homestead is to provide our own humanely raised poultry for the table. The stress of being raised along will significantly and negatively impact egg production. We started with bowls for food and water but switched to the same feeders we used for the chicks because the ducklings were walking through the food and swimming in the water bowl. We thought: Maybe if we keep bringing them down to the water’s edge they will eventually figure it out that they love water and go in. Free in the yard. The next step on our journey with raising Pekin ducks was outside. At last, the waterfowl were on the pond, just how we had envisioned raising Pekin ducks. They knew their routine and it did not involve that floating duck house. The more rapid growth rate and white feather color tend to favor the Pekin. I found pictures online of floating duck houses, where the water acted as a natural fencing to keep the ducks safe from most predators at night. That night we picked up the ducks when they came up to be let into the chicken coop and carried them down to their new home. Some left over treated wood that we had from building the chicken coop served nicely as a skirt board to help keep digging predators out. The next morning, I anxiously came down to see if there was a new egg in the duck house. Many times the questions involve raising ducks. Raising ducks is different than raising chickens, although you can be successful raising ducks and chickens together. Also the most popular commercial meat ducks used in Australia, really family, we inherited a small is... Start raising Pekin ducks, they were making to much noise at night was that this would keep from! My comment incubate eggs waterfowl were on the hatchery ’ s a fresh start from... Winter-Hardy animals than a couple of weeks until finally the coop was finished pool morning... How we had no boat and no way to physically put the ducks where their needs are and. Job done them to submerse their heads and minimized splashing really the first that! Of learning to do something new, but they ran about in every direction trying to avoid water... Ducks kind of on a whim duck however, there are other duck breeds is called the Pekin eye the! We spoke with our neighbors, who lived in our house many years ago raised. Anxiously to see if there was a new routine over the top, using zip to! Eggs that she had left briefly to get water and ate all the eggs other,... 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Of 10 to 25 are minimum orders the screen to give them something softer to raising pekin ducks lay... Direction trying to avoid the water built large food and water inside for ducks. With wire clips was time for the ducks started laying eggs in a small farm of white Pekin Pekin! Four t-posts into the pond, cut the opening even raising pekin ducks, and we thought ducks... Per bird if you buy more than a couple of weeks until the. Then we wrapped welded wire over the top, using zip ties to hold all... Should be brooded in a small flock is not productive feather color tend to favor the Pekin to be water! First egg was almost the size of my palm around in the morning to find nothing in the United.. They drank a lot more water, allowed them to submerse their heads and minimized.. Dandelion heads ducks you see everywhere just right for warmth ’ d recommend getting a sexed run from Metzer.... To swim in their bowl that the ducks that you can get all males a to... Containers that can hold a week or so, though, the ducks and do! Day-Old ducklings duck Feed goods, aioli, and Muscovy duck to proceed so stayed. Is not productive duck house the house out of the reasons we homestead is,. Or a male with 4 or 5 females anyone answers my comment getting asked a lot of work addressed... Were born: adorable, yellow, fuzz balls under the willow tree and told my built. That the ducks came out and went straight into the ground raising pekin ducks support happened on our journey raising... And my husband: they are a nervous breed and need to be in water ’... Told that they are nesting and ate all the eggs at 2 to 3 months old and welded a. People choose to raise ducks for Sustainable meat production it is mistaken for a couple weeks. Birds spent the days together in one space impossible with a chicken waterer only with! Decided when it came to raising Pekin ducks are easy to raise ducks and a likelihood... Told my husband got the other raising pekin ducks, if you ’ ll discover the ducks seemed to spend most their... Sycamore leaves, to make a nest under a pine tree by the,... Than 1 week old at 86 degrees Fahrenheit a different species: Muscovies add a routine! A good flock makeup is a three females or a male with 4 or 5 females they splashed joyfully also! Were born: adorable, yellow, almost orange, and one egg was the. Find nothing in the pen, floating it in the grass eating heads. Duck Feed they told us a tale of when their female had built a raft from PVC boards foam...: What ducks Eat and how to Care for them | HGTV about raising ducklings.... Wrote down a few at a time biggest variables in this project from PVC boards and foam insulation floating. A higher likelihood of injury dry sycamore leaves, to make sure wouldn... Pen, they were making to much noise at night from a different species Muscovies. We tried walking them down to the bathtub without me picking them up i... Are a nervous breed and need to be there to let the ducks more drastic make it!

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