I know, I'm in the wrong forum....

[Wrigley62]

....But I posted my question on the Waterfowl forum and nobody wanted to help. Plenty of people looked, but they just kept on going. So, I'm relying on my "Chicken Friends".
I'm thinking of getting a couple of Pekin Ducks and I know nothing about them other than they taste great! I'm just kidding, mine are going to be pets. I need to know what type of shelter they need, bedding, nest or roost, run, water, anything that a "Newbie" should know.
I made it through my first year with chickens with only one loss (that broke my heart). I figure, why not???
Any advice will greatly appreciated.

Thanks and have a great day.

 

[valeriebutterley]

Hello Wrigley, you shall have a reply from GCF - the friendly forum!
Don't know much about ducks except that they taste good, quack, waddle, swim and make a mess.
Seriously, I gather that they will make do with a child's small swimming pool in the garden, an ex baby bath, or a plastic tub filled with water.
I know they like a coop or shelter of some sort, and bond with their human parents, just like chickens, are friendly and I'm told will mix well with chickens.
Pekin ducks are lovely, I live near Windsor, and often go to Virginia Water with my granddaughters to walk by the lake and feed the ducks, they are very tame.
Hope you get them and sorry about your loss.

 

[djscorpio]

Hi there Wrigley

If you've kept chickens already you should find ducks pretty straightforward really; they're pretty hardy little people and not very susceptible to disease. I kept two types years ago. The second set I kept were ringed teal they were very small and were kept nice and safe and warm with a little pond, heaters, and a small duck house in a large planted aviary. But the first were muscovys a heavy breed a bit larger than pekins but pekins are also considered a heavy breed. Maybe I was a bit naive with the muscovys because they had claws (i.e. tree roosters, I didn't know this at the time) and weren't scared of anything lol I let them roam the large garden freely, they had a paddling pool to splash about, and a brick outhouse with a blue shell paddling pool with bedding for a nest, and a stable door with the lower half left open so they had access by day if the weather was bad. I simply clapped my hands and called them at night and they waddled on down the garden and into their outhouse to be locked in overnight. I guess yours might be at more risk of attack so a run might be the best way. If you've got space for a large run thats great or maybe a smaller one and you could let them roam the garden when your around.

 

[charley_pekin]

I am new to this forum thing but as I have recently got ducks I thought I would join in and give it a go, see what other poultry keeper people do, think and what advice there may be.
Anyway just read you Pekin Duck enquiry, its probably a bit late now as you asked in Feb and its now May but I thought I would reply anyway just incase any of this was a use to yourself or anyone else.

I got 2 Pekins last weekend, I have an old pheasant rearing pen (made a bit bigger) ,with a child's sand pit for water and a big crate with hay in that they sleep in when they go in the (what would be pheasant enclosure) at night. Every now and then in the afternoon I let them out for a couple of hours to waddle around the garden. They seem very happy and have defiantly settles in to their new home! I am new to ducks and have learnt they only need the simple things and to be kept clean and loved!
Hope this was some help to someone