any one with experience on Pekin ducks?

Hi there folks!
if there is anybody out there with practical experience or at least some insights into this I will be very greatful

My property is in the Paraná river delta, humid subtropical, wetlands, marshes mostly... I'm planning on working mostly with chinampas and such...

But there are a few acres I would like to put into a "power of duck" sort of production, you know, the Takao Foruno system, and I wonder if Pekin is the way to go... it would be feasable for me to buy some. Do you think this breed may work for this sort of thing?

please feel free to ask anything, to suggest anything and to be direct, I have no program sensibility whatsoever

thank you in advance fellows!

greetings from Argentina

Gordo,

I have one White Pekin and she's great even though she thinks she's a goose. They put on weight super fast especially if they have supplemental feed. They're hardy - mine hacked it through a few cold snaps this winter where its down to 10F with no problems. She's a great forager and is always hunting around with her bill. Since I've been feeding her grain for the winter she's been laying an egg a day with out fail. She mostly sticks around and comes when I call. I'd totally consider getting more. If I had an environment suited to them (which it sounds like you do) I would consider getting ALOT more. The white coat means they're super easy to spot and while they're noted for being loud, its nothing compared to a goose. I like this breed and would recommend it if you think it would suit you're conditions.

Depends weather you want eggs or meat. Try out some different duck, most people end up with mixed flocks anyway. Muscovies are ugly but are one of the best ducks.

thank you Landon, I found your reply very useful

Angelika Maier wrote:Depends weather you want eggs or meat. Try out some different duck, most people end up with mixed flocks anyway. Muscovies are ugly but are one of the best ducks.

I mostly want them to do a specific job in the paddy and then sell them as meat. I would love the ones I keep to breed to give eggs for my consuption as well. I basically need a duck wich is ready to go to the market at 10 weeks, it should be able to get 90% of its food foraging, it should not fly, it should be healthy. I have no snow in the winter and the summer is not that hot either... I gess that sumes it

I'm glad you did. FYI I was thinking my Pekin looked good enough to eat (though not quite plump) at 7 or 8 weeks old. This bread grows FAST

Edit: Also they're way to heavy to get of the ground. No flying and no clipped wings

Landon Sunrich wrote:I'm glad you did. FYI I was thinking my Pekin looked good enough to eat (though not quite plump) at 7 or 8 weeks old. This bread grows FAST

Edit: Also they're way to heavy to get of the ground. No flying and no clipped wings

how good are they at foraging? given tem more marsh and forest that they could dreem of, do you think they could take all they need foraging? we have plenty of snails, frogs, small fish... but I heard Peking are not so good at feeding themselves in that way... that's my mein concern on choosing this breed

Hmmm... I can only speak from my experience which is on an overgrown lawn. And keep in mind I only have one duck (and 3 geese and some chickens)

I got my birds as chicks (2 or 3 days old?) and started them off with about 10 days or so of barley colonized by oyster mushroom spawn. I had a big old rubber made full of the stuff and they only ate a handful a day (all of the birds - not individually) or so at that age. The geese where eating grass from pretty much day one. After that I cut them off the food train and they where on forage 100 percent from around the First of May until the second or so week of November. Since November my duck has gotten quite fat. She still is out foraging every day - but I'm pretty sure they're genetically programed to be greedy glutinous eaters.

They seem like pretty good foragers to me. She has a quick eye and is always hunting. In my (totally inexpert only slightly above novice) opinion I would think that as long as you are willing to give the ducklings a little food for the first week (or are willing to accept some losses) they should do quite well on forage alone.

Ten week isn't that very short? Ducks eat a lot of green too.

Here, I hunted down a couple links

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/poultry/species/duck-raising/processing-marketing

the important bit

"Market English ducks (Pekins and Aylesburys) as ‘green’ ducks when they are 7–8 weeks of age and their liveweight is 2.5–2.8 kg. Some Pekin strains less than 7 weeks of age will be heavy enough for some markets. Ducklings 10 weeks old are more difficult to pluck because this is when they start to get their adult feathers, and they require extra handling. If ducklings have reached this stage, growers may be forced to take a lower price."

and

http://www.metzerfarms.com/DuckBreedComparison.cfm

I would put the calmness at 'average' personally - I've never been able to pick my Pekin up - she's shy but not timid if that makes sense

Landon, thank you so very much for your useful answears, I think I'm going with the Pekins, this post is RESOLVED

http://www.metzerfarms.com/DuckBreedComparison.cfm

I would put the calmness at 'average' personally - I've never been able to pick my Pekin up - she's shy but not timid if that makes sense

Landon, the last link doesn't seem to be working, any thoughts?

Strange, the link is working for me. They list 3 different Pekin breeds as well as about a dozen others I have copied and pasted the info relevant to the pekin. Glad you've made up your mind! You'll have to let us all know how it works out!

Breed Temperament // Weight (1) // Egg Prod. (2) // Mothering // Bluish Eggs // Egg Size (3) // Fertility (4)

Pekin Calm // 7 - 13.5 # // 140 - 220 /yr. // Poor // Less Than 2 % // 90 - 100 grams // 89 %

Breed // APA Class // Foraging Ability // Conservation Status (5) // Our Show Quality (6) // Flying Ability // Origin

Pekin // Heavy // Fair // Abundant // Meat Class Only // None // China

Sorry for the sloppy copy/paste Tables = hard

Landon Sunrich wrote:Strange, the link is working for me. They list 3 different Pekin breeds as well as about a dozen others I have copied and pasted the info relevant to the pekin. Glad you've made up your mind! You'll have to let us all know how it works out!

Breed Temperament // Weight (1) // Egg Prod. (2) // Mothering Bluish Eggs // Egg Size (3) // Fertility (4)

Pekin Calm // 7 - 13.5 # // 140 - 220 /yr. // Poor // Less Than 2 % // 90 - 100 grams // 89 %

Breed // APA Class // Foraging Ability // Conservation Status (5) // Our Show Quality (6) // Flying Ability // Origin

Pekin // Heavy // Fair // Abundant // Meat Class Only // None // China

Sorry for the sloppy copy/paste Tables = hard

thank you Landon!