Pekin Duck Club!

[mick&cori]

Hi! I'm new to this thread and a new Pekin duck owner. I live in Indiana. I have 2 Pekin ducks that are 6 weeks old named Smith and Wesson. I've had chickens, turkeys, guineas, cows, and goats for years.

So, I bought a kiddie pool for them. They have a 5 gallon tub in their house.

Here are a few of my questions, if y'all could help please.

1. What am I supposed to do in the winter for their swimming? Do they need to swim in the winter?
2. What kind of bedding do you use? I have access to shavings and straw. Currently I have 1/2 their house with straw and 1/2 with shavings covering a cement floor. They both get wet and nasty, so it's cleaned daily.
3. It's currently just the two of them in their house. Can I put them in with my chickens eventually? Is that safe for them?
4. Based on what I've read, I think I may have a boy and a girl. The boy is quieter, and it looks like one of his tail feathers is starting to curve. The girl is a loud quacker, the first to investigate, the first to the food or the pool. The only thing is it looks like a tail feather is curling also. How old will they be for the tail feather to be definite proof of sex?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

1. Water in winter: I will occasionally fill the kiddie pool on warm days, but my ducks don't swim often in winter. I use a 5 gal heated water bucket with a brick in the bottom and a board over the top, that way the ducks will have ability to dunk their heads. But that's about it for winter here.
2. Deep Litter Straw.
3. ? Not positive either way
4. 16-20 wks should work for drake feather. I think you're on the right track with voice sexing.

 

[Bducky]

Yay!! My female still seems to be getting fatter! I hope she starts laying soon.

 

[HughesFowlFarm]

Haven't posted in a while, but has anybody here ever incubated their pekin eggs? I've been thinking about doin it. Only my female hasn't started laying yet. She won't be 6 months old until October. I've been thinking about ordering some from a hatchery, but my question is, why is it more expensive to buy hatching chicken eggs than duck eggs. And why is buying hatching duck eggs, cheaper than buying day old ducklings? Is it more requirements for duck eggs? Are hatch rates lower on duck eggs, is fertility lower in duck eggs?

 

[Jharper]

Haven't posted in a while, but has anybody here ever incubated their pekin eggs? I've been thinking about doin it. Only my female hasn't started laying yet. She won't be 6 months old until October. I've been thinking about ordering some from a hatchery, but my question is, why is it more expensive to buy hatching chicken eggs than duck eggs. And why is buying hatching duck eggs, cheaper than buying day old ducklings? Is it more requirements for duck eggs? Are hatch rates lower on duck eggs, is fertility lower in duck eggs?

In my own opinion, I wouldn't order eggs because they have such LOW hatch rates.

 

[Howard The Duck]

suggestion for ducklings. Im in Erie PA and it will gets cold fast. I will have 4 of them next week and will brood them in my house but I don't want them in all winter! I know Pekin adults do fine in cold weather so WHEN can I move them into their new home outside?

 

[The Howards]

Hi! I'm new to this thread and a new Pekin duck owner. I live in Indiana. I have 2 Pekin ducks that are 6 weeks old named Smith and Wesson. I've had chickens, turkeys, guineas, cows, and goats for years.

So, I bought a kiddie pool for them. They have a 5 gallon tub in their house.

Here are a few of my questions, if y'all could help please.

1. What am I supposed to do in the winter for their swimming? Do they need to swim in the winter?
2. What kind of bedding do you use? I have access to shavings and straw. Currently I have 1/2 their house with straw and 1/2 with shavings covering a cement floor. They both get wet and nasty, so it's cleaned daily.
3. It's currently just the two of them in their house. Can I put them in with my chickens eventually? Is that safe for them?
4. Based on what I've read, I think I may have a boy and a girl. The boy is quieter, and it looks like one of his tail feathers is starting to curve. The girl is a loud quacker, the first to investigate, the first to the food or the pool. The only thing is it looks like a tail feather is curling also. How old will they be for the tail feather to be definite proof of sex?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

First off LOVE the names!
1. We keep their pools filled 365, ours will swim no matter the temp. Guess it will depend on if you want to fiddle with the pools when it is cold but if the water is available they will swim. Just break up the ice.
2. We use straw, yes it gets nasty fast but if you put enough down and stir it often it will dry out some and doesn't smell.
3. We house all of our ducks and chickens together without any issue. It will depend on if there is enough room for all of them. They all get along fine, ducks on the floor and chickens on a roost.
4. Sorry, no males....?

suggestion for ducklings. Im in Erie PA and it will gets cold fast. I will have 4 of them next week and will brood them in my house but I don't want them in all winter! I know Pekin adults do fine in cold weather so WHEN can I move them into their new home outside?

Welcome! Once they are fully feathered out they can go outside full time. You will also start to notice, especially on their breast area, that the feathers will be thick. They have a layer of fat under that down that helps insulate them. Pekins usually feather out completely pretty fast so you shouldn't have to have them in all winter. If I remember correctly they are finished around 2-3 months, maybe sooner.

 

[mick&cori]

Thanks for all the answers.

I think for the winter months I'll try to give them opportunities to swim. I think I'll try to make the straw deeper in their house. I'll keep an eye out for the feathers.

I got their names (Smith and Wesson) because I'm a gun fan. We have a shooting range in our back pasture. NO animals can get to it. My DH fenced it off.

I actually wasn't prepared for ducks at all. My 15 year old nephew accidentally killed 15 of my white rock chickens. (both of my roosters and 13 hens) He was cleaning out the chicken houses and put them out in the run and locked them out. It was 95 degrees and they didn't have water. So, I was devistated. I was talking to some friends about how upset I was. For my birthday, they brought me the 2 ducklings. Yay!! Love at first sight.

I'm not sure when to try to transition them into one of the chicken houses. Or I could move them in with the turkeys. I'll have to think about it. I do have a little time.

They are so funny. I'm glad I found this thread. Again, thanks for all the help.

 

[The Howards]

Thanks for all the answers.

I think for the winter months I'll try to give them opportunities to swim. I think I'll try to make the straw deeper in their house. I'll keep an eye out for the feathers.

I got their names (Smith and Wesson) because I'm a gun fan. We have a shooting range in our back pasture. NO animals can get to it. My DH fenced it off.

I actually wasn't prepared for ducks at all. My 15 year old nephew accidentally killed 15 of my white rock chickens. (both of my roosters and 13 hens) He was cleaning out the chicken houses and put them out in the run and locked them out. It was 95 degrees and they didn't have water. So, I was devistated. I was talking to some friends about how upset I was. For my birthday, they brought me the 2 ducklings. Yay!! Love at first sight.

I'm not sure when to try to transition them into one of the chicken houses. Or I could move them in with the turkeys. I'll have to think about it. I do have a little time.

They are so funny. I'm glad I found this thread. Again, thanks for all the help.

Sure wish we had a gun range in our back area. Sorry bout the loss of the flock, I can understand the frustration. It was sweet of them to get the ducklings though. DH introduced them to our flock, he had a love at first sight moment too. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the little peepers to look at the chicks I was trying so hard to show him. I fell under their spell to though and couldn't imagine them not being here.

 

[Amiga]

suggestion for ducklings. Im in Erie PA and it will gets cold fast. I will have 4 of them next week and will brood them in my house but I don't want them in all winter! I know Pekin adults do fine in cold weather so WHEN can I move them into their new home outside?

How warm will their new home outside be?