Pekin Duck Club!

[Bducky]

The nest so far! Derpette has started laying every day!

 

[Bducky]

Just built my first incubator!!!!!

 

[Bducky]

Eggies in their incubators.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Eggies in their incubators.

 

[Bducky]

Sigh, I candled my three day old egg, I think it was a double yolker.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sigh, I candled my three day old egg, I think it was a double yolker.

I really don't think you'd get a live duckling to hatch. most of the time they die. but I saw 2 more there

 

[Bducky]

Yeah, derpette just laid another egg, so i put it in the incubator. The other big egg was a double yolker to. And the worst part is, when i went to put the other double yolker in the fridge, i dropped it! I was mad at myself but then i just started laughing. I was SO glad the eggs were laid recently. So im just waiting on the regular eggs.

 

[Younger]

Are ducks the same as chickens and start laying around 18 weeks? I have one female and one male Pekin. My chickens just started laying this weeks so we added oyster shell to everyone's pen. Will it hurt if the male eats some? I am having trouble finding layer food for my ducks. Was giving them duck grower but now that she should start laying not sure what i should be feeding them.

 

[countrygirl74]

Are ducks the same as chickens and start laying around 18 weeks? I have one female and one male Pekin. My chickens just started laying this weeks so we added oyster shell to everyone's pen. Will it hurt if the male eats some? I am having trouble finding layer food for my ducks. Was giving them duck grower but now that she should start laying not sure what i should be feeding them.

My Pekins started laying around 24 weeks but I've heard of others' ducks starting sooner. As for the feed, it's actually best to keep them on a grower and provide oyster shell free-choice, as you are doing now. It's okay if the male eats some - much better than feeding layer when he doesn't have a choice and the extra calcium isn't necessarily good for males. I like to let my ducks and chickens decide for themselves how much calcium they need. My ducks get chicken feed (grower) - all my birds eat the same feed. I either wet it down or ferment it - makes it go farther and the ducks love it sloppy!

 

[Younger]

Thanks countrygirl74

He seemed to eat it (oyster shell) because she was, but hasn't touched it since. LOL He is very nosey. I will keep them on the duck grower then. I had switched to chickens to layer and thought I needed to do the same with the ducks. Sounds like they don't lay anywhere near the same amount (think I read 30-100 a year?) Do you use yours for baking?
I haven't posted a pic for a while.