The Duck Thread

[Jdc361]

Hey so I'm going to get 2 pekin hens and a drake but I don't know what breed my drake should be:/ I like the look of a rouen drake but I was wondering, do certain breeds of drake mate less aggressively than others?

 

[Tevyes Dad]

Hey so I'm going to get 2 pekin hens and a drake but I don't know what breed my drake should be:/ I like the look of a rouen drake but I was wondering, do certain breeds of drake mate less aggressively than others?

I'm guessing it varies by individual more than breed. Drakes are pretty darn aggressive. Why do you want a drake? There are valid reasons, but a duck will lay just as much without a drake as with one and since you are contemplating multiple breeds for your drake with Pekin ducks, I am guessing you aren't planning on breeding. If you want mainly eggs, you might want to consider multiple breeds depending on the purpose of the egg. For eating eggs, I love Pekin eggs because they are huge and flavorful. If I am baking, I will typically use either runner eggs or KC eggs because they are sized similar to chicken eggs so they substitute into recipes easier without conversion. Also I have all different colors/breeds so I can tell them apart easily. This is good for pets because you get to learn their personalities easier when you can identify them easily.

Having said that, I have 2 drakes. My reasons when I got them was 1. My Rouen drake (who is the flock leader and is very aggressive) has the pretty drake coloration. 2. My Crested drake (who is actually very mellow) if he was a duck, might get severely injured from mating because of the crest. I have 13 girls. I don't regret getting my drakes and love them very much, but they significantly increase the work (sometimes a separate jail has to be maintained) and the flock stress level, so I usually try to warn people new to ducks to make sure they know what they are getting with a drake.

Get the breeds of ducks you want, they all can get along together just fine.

 

[dan26552]

I've got the start of a broody duck, she went broody last fall too, she was only 8 months old.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I've got the start of a broody duck, she went broody last fall too, she was only 8 months old.

and she has an audience too.

 

[dan26552]

and she has an audience too.

Lol. She had an audience last year too. Hatched six out of ten last year.

 

[Jdc361]

I'm guessing it varies by individual more than breed.  Drakes are pretty darn aggressive.  Why do you want a drake?  There are valid reasons, but a duck will lay just as much without a drake as with one and since you are contemplating multiple breeds for your drake with Pekin ducks, I am guessing you aren't planning on breeding.  If you want mainly eggs, you might want to consider multiple breeds depending on the purpose of the egg.  For eating eggs, I love Pekin eggs because they are huge and flavorful.  If I am baking, I will typically use either runner eggs or KC eggs because they are sized similar to chicken eggs so they substitute into recipes easier without conversion.  Also I have all different colors/breeds so I can tell them apart easily.  This is good for pets because you get to learn their personalities easier when you can identify them easily.

Having said that, I have 2 drakes.  My reasons when I got them was 1. My Rouen drake (who is the flock leader and is very aggressive) has the pretty drake coloration.  2. My Crested drake (who is actually very mellow) if he was a duck, might get severely injured from mating because of the crest.  I have 13 girls.  I don't regret getting my drakes and love them very much, but they significantly increase the work (sometimes a separate jail has to be maintained) and the flock stress level, so I usually try to warn people new to ducks to make sure they know what they are getting with a drake.

Get the breeds of ducks you want, they all can get along together just fine.

Okay thank you...I'll probably just stick to ducks

 

[Ren2014]

I've got the start of a broody duck, she went broody last fall too, she was only 8 months old.

Congrats! And a Pekin at that! Awesome!

and she has an audience too.

lol

Lol. She had an audience last year too. Hatched six out of ten last year.

My Pekins went broody once and both abandoned their nests

. Good luck

I hope you get lots of pretty white babies

 

[dan26552]

Congrats!  And a Pekin at that!  Awesome!

lol

My Pekins went broody once and both abandoned their nests .  Good luck   I hope you get lots of pretty white babies

Yeah!!

Aww, that stinks. Probably not white, I've only gotten one Pekin out of 24 eggs I've hatched, most have Pekin Pekin X Swede and look like this. I do have bators if she abandons though.

 

[Ren2014]

Yeah!!

Aww, that stinks. Probably not white, I've only gotten one Pekin out of 24 eggs I've hatched, most have Pekin Pekin X Swede and look like this. I do have bators if she abandons though.

Still soooo cute

I thought I saw a Pekin drake so I just assumed. I didn't have a bator when mine went broody. They now have a a Muscovy boyfriend. Hummmm... I might should get my bator out

 

[dan26552]

Still soooo cute   I thought I saw a Pekin drake so I just assumed.  I didn't have a bator when mine went broody.  They now have a a Muscovy boyfriend.  Hummmm...  I might should get my bator out

Lol. You did, I have two Pekin drakes, apparently they like the Swede drake better.

Maybe.