How to Breed Pekin Ducks
Pekin ducks are the most popular form of ducks commercially raised. They are particularly commonly raised pet ducks in the United States. They are healthier and friendlier, but also need a special care for food, health and safety. Also, when ducklings are grown to be adults, they need more room, space, food, safety and socialization. If your stock has grown over that you are not able to manage them in the presently available space, you should find a buyer for them unless you tend to grow them in a farm.
Another particular difficult in breeding Pekin ducks is that they lack breeding instincts. They do not breed their own eggs. So you should make an arrangement to incubate them. Nevertheless, it is quite difficult to breed Pekin Ducks but if you have plan and follow it step by step, you can achieve the goal.
Instructions
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1
Group Ducks With Drake
You can group five to seven ducks with one drake of male duck when the time comes for breeding. Grouping with more than one drake will lead to fights between the drakes but one drake can comfortably adjust with half a dozen ducks. Generally ducks breeding season is spring - between February and May. Also, be careful about ducks age. Ducks should be about eight months old. Breeding before or after that age can be risky for health of ducklings. They can be very weak. -
2
Nesting Arrangement For Eggs Hatching
Pekin ducks can lay eggs anywhere but should provide a nesting arrangement so that collection of eggs is easy. In nesting they can also be remain safe until the hen stops hatching eggs. You can leave a box or any big pot with some soft grass in it. It can be a container made of wood i.e. fruit crate or any other shallow box. You can cover it with a piece of cloth with a slight space on one side for entrance of hen. -
3
Incubate Eggs
Once hen stops laying eggs, collect them safely and without shaking them much. Put them incubator and raise its temperature to 99.5 degree. Hatching normally takes 28 days but you should lower temperature of incubator to 95 degree after 24 days. -
4
Feed Ducklings
Start feeding ducklings commercial food. Do not feed raw stuff like bread and other products. You will notice small yellow feather growing on the. Also check them regularly for health and catching any bug etc. -
5
Supervise Them Swimming
You should not allow ducklings swim in the water if you are not available to supervision. During initial days their feather are not thick enough so there is high risk of their drowning. Put them in less deep water first while you supervise and once their feathers are grown to be thicker leave them to swim on their own.
