Hi all,
So glad i found this site while trawling the net. We are a young couple just 28 and 24 and could use plenty of advice. We have just moved into a Lifestyle block in a place called Mapiu. We have 1 dog (Boy), 1 puppy (Jesse), 2 cats (Patches and Tubby), 2 Long White piglets (Brittney and Paris), 1 Barred Rock Rooster(Barry), 1 Red Shaver chook(More to come) and will be picking up 7 tame Peking ducks on Tuesday. We have been offered an Orpington Rooster for free with the ducks....Are they any good? Will the roosters clash? And finally any advice on keeping Peking ducks?
Thankyou Nick and Lizzy
Welcome Nick and Lizzy.
Yes two roosters and one hen are not a good mix!
Each rooster will be happier with his own harem of 10 or so hens. Unless you plan to eat one of them soon, or get lots more hens, then two mature roosters are asking for fights! If they are both immature, then they may just grow to like each other, but if they are adults, then look out!
Barred Rocks and Orpingtons are both large birds and make good eating. I would expect the Orpington to be more docile than the Barred Rock, but individuals differ so it is hard to say without them meeting each other.
Sue
Labrador lover for yonks, breeder of pedigree Murray Grey cattle for almost as long, and passionate poultry person for more years than I care to count.
Both BR and Orps are HUGE birds so your poor shaver hen will be in for some seriously uncomfortable man attention if you get a second roo. The lads themselves will fight it out especially being introduced to each other as adults, and the poor ol' Orp will probably come off second best as they are a quieter breed in general. If you have seperately fenced off areas for them then that is great but if not, don't get him. IMO the duck seller saw you coming and is trying to flick off an unwanted bird.
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Save the Earth... it's the only planet with chocolate!
Duck eggs are not best eaten semi-cooked liked hens eggs. The places they go tend to be dirtier like drains, they also tend to quack a lot.
Said with a cheeky grin: Peking duck as your have spelt it is a delicious Chinese dish. If you have that on your farm well done. Pekin duck, are a breed of generally white ducks. Quack! Quack!
Thanks for the advice people well I am going to take the offer from the duck seller and get the orpington rooster but give that rooster away to my dad. Umm can i get some advice or information about pekin ducks? Like if i should lock them up at night and leave them out durring the day. And what not to feed them etc.
We run our few assorted ducks in the orchard with the many hens and roosters. They all feed together and the ducks don't seem to miss out. FIL and I both like the duck eggs cos they're BIG.
Sue;405430 wrote: Welcome Nick and Lizzy.
Yes two roosters and one hen are not a good mix!
Each rooster will be happier with his own harem of 10 or so hens. Unless you plan to eat one of them soon, or get lots more hens, then two mature roosters are asking for fights! If they are both immature, then they may just grow to like each other, but if they are adults, then look out!
Barred Rocks and Orpingtons are both large birds and make good eating. I would expect the Orpington to be more docile than the Barred Rock, but individuals differ so it is hard to say without them meeting each other.
Ditto what Sue said - you'll need to get the rooster hen ratio WAY up there or you can expect "BLOCKWAAAAR arrrrggggghhhh!!!"
I had two roosters - got on fine - had a decent rooster-chook ratio.
ONE hen died (had a random tumor) next minute I have western show-down every 5minutes outside the back door.
Recently had to take the largest rooster to the vets (good breeder and excellent condition) because he tore his spurs and back claws off trying to throw himself thru the chickenwire run I'd put the smaller rooster into to seperate them.
Doesn't matter how many chooks are around the place now - those two are at war indefintely.
I have a few ducks myself and the only real issue that needs to be considered I think is ratio of boys to girls, I have too many drakes and they are hurting my girls, so I need to cull these. Keep and eye on your numbers. Other than that I have found them lovely to have they free range so make quite a mess on the concrete, and lay their eggs all over the place, so before I can find them we have another clutch, unforunately the pukekos tend to get to most of them in spite of all the safety measures we have tried.
Enjoy your time!
Laurette, mother to Eamon (16), Sebastian and Cheve (angel cats) Henry and Bellatrix cats, Sadie and Billy Bob(dogs) Rocky, Lola and Hersephone (rainbow goat) (Goats), Sparrow and Esme (cows), 6 chickens , 6 Khaki campbell ducks, tadpoles and goldfish.
Quack! Quack! 