The Pekin duck has won the hearts of many duck enthusiasts. With their fast growth rate, excellent egg and meat production and their endearing personalities, the king of ducks has earned its popularity and the title of the world’s most popular domestic duck breed.
History
The Pekin duck is believed to have been bred in China over three thousand years ago. The breed gained popularity throughout China and was soon named after the city of Peking (now known as Beijing).
In 1873, the Pekin duck first arrived in America, where they quickly gained popularity and soon became the top table bird in the country as duck raisers started turning to the Pekin instead of the native Cayuga.
Description
The Pekin duck sports white feathers that vary from a snowy white to creamy yellowish white. Legs and feet are bright orange. Pekin drakes’ bills are orange to yellow-orange, while females’ bills vary from orange and yellow to green or black. Orange and yellow bills on female Pekins are often spotted with black or green.
Just like all Mallard descendants, a male Pekin duck has a curly feather at the base of its tail while in its breeding plumage.
Meat Production
Pekins are well known for their fast growth rate and excellent meat production. The meat of a Pekin should have a mild flavor when compared to a Muscovy or Moulard duck (Muscovy crossed with any other domestic duck breed).
The Pekin duck has an excellent feed-to-meat conversion, with ducklings averaging two and a half to three pounds of feed per pound of bodyweight. Fast growers, Pekins should reach market weight between the ages of eight to twelve weeks.
While it is most popular in the famous Peking duck dish, Pekin meat can be prepared in many dishes and is very adaptable for different cuisines.
If raising meat ducks for wholesale, the Pekin is a popular choice as they are often featured on restaurant menus and are a favorite amongst consumers.
Egg Production
The female Pekin duck is an excellent layer, averaging two to three hundred large to jumbo white eggs annually. The amount of eggs laid by each female will largely depend on the strain and whether or not the duck is a seasonal layer. (laying eggs only in the spring and summer)
Production starts around the age of five to six months and will continue until the following summer or autumn when the duck ceases laying for the annual molt.
Pekin females can go broody, but they won’t cease laying during this time like a chicken does, unless encouraged to sit.
Mothering Abilities
Pekin duck females may not go broody as frequently as some other breeds, but some strains will go broody, hatching and raising ducklings successfully. However, like other duck breeds, they may need more than one hatching to raise ducklings successfully to adulthood.
Many Pekin duck females are also excellent surrogate mothers, and will happily adopt and raise ducklings even if not broody. (Please note: That while most Pekins adopt ducklings, not all will. Always supervise an adult duck with adopted ducklings to ensure they do not injure or kill the young.)
Temperament
The Pekin first gained popularity for its superb quality meat, but these days they are even more famous for their personalities.
Pekin ducks imprint (Imprinting is when a duckling believes that the first face it sees is its mother.) very easily on humans. An imprinted Pekin tends to be more clingy throughout its entire life, seeking out their “mama” for attention.
Sweet, talkative, gregarious, people-loving, and calm, the Pekin duck is one of the friendliest breeds. Excellent for families with children, Pekins are highly intelligent and love to interact with their human family and other Pekins.
While they are sweet and gentle with their families, Pekins are more standoffish with strangers. This trait makes them an excellent choice as guard ducks, as they are constantly aware of their surroundings and will alert owners when they sense something isn’t right.
Pekin ducks enjoy frequent handlings and interactions with their human family and can become depressed if they feel you aren’t spending enough time with them.
Average Lifespan
The average lifespan of a Pekin duck varies depending on the strain. Jumbo Pekins average five to ten years, while commercial Pekins average eight to twelve years of age.
Health Concerns
The Pekin duck shouldn’t pose too many health concerns if fed a proper diet and allowed access to green grass. However, due to their larger size, they are more prone to leg and foot injuries such as arthritis, broken bones, bumblefoot, osteoarthritis, slipped joints and tendons, and sprains.
Pekin drakes are also more prone to prolapsed phallus than other breeds, so be sure to check your drake frequently to ensure he isn’t suffering from this condition.
Famous Pekins
Pekin ducks are so popular that Walt Disney designed Donald Duck after this breed.
Another famous duck, the Aflac duck, was also designed after the Pekin.
Special Considerations
Due to their white feathering, the Pekin duck is easily spotted by aerial and ground-dwelling predators. To protect your Pekins from predator attacks, avoid free-ranging unless directly supervised by an adult, and house them in a completely predator-proofed coop and run.
Pekin ducks thrive on human interactions, so if you prefer a more hands-off breed, the Pekin duck is probably not the best choice.
Pekins must have access to clean swimming water at least once a week to keep their feathers clean and their oil glands working properly.
Fun Fact
Did you know? The Pekin duck is highly intelligent and can be trained to do simple commands such as coming when called. They are also capable of learning their names extremely fast.
The Pekin duck is an ideal choice for pet owners, backyard flocks, and egg and meat producers. With so many attributes, it’s easy to see why this breed has become the most popular domestic duck breed worldwide.
This Pekin duck breed profile was written for Hobby Farms and Chickens magazines. Click here to subscribe.
