Hi everyone,

I want to try raising Pekin ducks. I have experience with chickens, but not ducks.

Does anyone have any helpful tips for a beginning duck farmer?

Jared

I have no duck experience, but I'm sure someone will be along. Good luck with them, Jared. You will do fine with them. Are you enjoying your chicken eggs?

Hello.

I am really liking these eggs! They are fantastic! We haven't bought eggs in a month!

Jared

We have had Pekin ducks inn the past. Right now we have Runner ducks. I recommend that you buy females. If you get "straight run" ducks, my experience is that they will be mostly males and the female(s) will be ceaselessly harassed. Ducks are happier if they have water to swim in - even a kiddie pool will do. They grow much faster than chickens and are a lot messier. We have always enjoyed our ducks and they lay good eggs too!

Porkpal, do the duck eggs taste any different? I've always guessed that they might have a stronger taste, but have never had one.

The Runner Duck eggs taste very much the same as hen eggs, but are a little firmer when cooked. Muscovy eggs are definitely different. Someone here said they taste like mud - not a bad description. We never ate any of the Pekin or Mallard eggs when we had them.

Thanks, Pork, that's interesting. I'd have thought duck eggs were duck eggs and they'd all taste the same.

If you'd like to use the eggs, Jared, maybe you should have the Runner ducks.

I have had both Peking and Ancona ducks. I loved my Ancona's, but like Porkpal said don't get too many males. I bought a couple of Anconas and had them for about 5 years, I just gave them to a friend this summer. I let them raise one brood of young. She hatched 7 little ones, 3 females and 4 males. Her first year laying eggs she produced an egg all but 4 days. In later years she slowed down, and this year she layed an egg every other day for most of the spring. The eggs were very much like chicken eggs in flavor. I had to keep them fenced in here because of the critter dangers. They are messy and love to muddy up their water.




They now live on a farm with a large pond, and are really happy.

Thanks for the pics, Tom. I'd love to have some. I bet they really love the large pond!

Here's a picture of Dot and Dash at their new pond.

They look very happy with their new pond!