Farmyard Facts Explained: How Long Do Pekin Ducks Live?

Pekin is a loving breed of ducks that have white feathers and were first domesticated about 200 years ago.

The most common duck used for the production of meat and eggs is the Pekin. Pekin ducks are lovely to look at and selectively bred; these Pekin ducks are spotless white with bright orange beaks.

Pekin ducks are survivors as they have a strong immune system. This breed of ducks is not aggressive. They are usually calm and are viewed as great pets due to their resistance to diseases and extreme climatic conditions.

They are easy to care for and low maintenance. Interestingly, Pekin ducks have been famous all around the world, due to Donald duck.

Donald duck is of the same breed as they both have white feathered bodies with striking orange beaks. The pronunciation is Pekin duck, not Peking. Pekin is the domestic duck while Pekings is a famous dish served and relished in China.

The females of the flock are called Pekin duck hens, while the males of the flock are referred to as Pekin drakes. They are famous for their meat and eggs.

Duck eggs are widely sold and consumed all over the world. Although, many people like to keep them as their pets. Other than Pekin, other popular domestic ducks are Muscovy ducks.

After you are done leading about how long do ducks live, check out how to raise ducks and how long for duck eggs to hatch?

How long do domestic Pekin ducks live?

The average lifespan of Pekin ducks is 9-12 years. They are a strong flock of ducks.

Their strong immune system makes them attractive pets. Pekin ducks are great at laying eggs but do not like to sit on them before they hatch.

For this reason alone, there are times when due to lack of warmth, the babies die. The ducks live for 10 years when they are taken care of.

These Pekin ducks require a good swim every eight hours, however, the ducklings should not be allowed inside the water until they are at least a month old. This is mainly because they do not have the protective layer that helps the ducks to dry quickly and prevent chilling.

With a lifespan of 10 years, these white ducks produce over 200-300 white eggs per year. In most cases, 7 years after their birth, the ducks start becoming inactive and start falling more sick than usual.

The drake, male duck, is seen to move around slightly more than the hen, female duck. These ducks live for 10 years and swim throughout their lifespan for at least eight hours and show signs of distress if they are unable to find water.

The domestic Pekins need clean, dry bedding and a warm clean coop. They love to swim even in winters and it is therefore important to have an unfrozen water pond or lake where you can take them.

Ducks live for an average of 10 years when kept well. Pekin ducks are of different types. These include American Pekin duck, German Pekin duck, Jumbo Pekin and Grimaud hybrid Pekin.

Certain duck breeds can be kept as domestic, while others are not that preferred. All ducks are either domestic or wild, but what remains the same is their need for water.

The domestic American Pekin is also referred to as the Mallard Duck. Mallard ducks are pretty much a hybrid of certain domestic ducks.

The Mulard ducks are popular for their meat. In most cases where Mulard ducks are bred, the drake is a Pekin.

Proper care of the domestic Pekin ducks can extend their average lifespan to 12 years. The average lifespan of 12 years means that the Pekin duck would remain active and keep swimming around and moving until 12 years. They are great as pets.

Domestic ducks are a good source of eggs. The male ducks are loud and have long calls; the male ducks call to inform people and others in their flock about incoming dangers, feeding time, or an incoming storm.

Pet Vs Wild Pekin Duck Lifespan

Research has proven that the average lifespan of ducks is more than the average lifespan of geese. A Pekin duck must always be petted in pairs while raising as a pet.

That way they remain happy and live longer.

Pet Pekin ducks are said to have an average lifespan of 12 years in most cases, however, pet ducks sometimes also live up to 20 years.

The number of years that domestic ducks live depends on the area where they live, the kind of veterinary care that they receive, the food they eat, and the amount of water they get to be around.

Wild ducks are different from domestic and pet ducks. Wild ducks find their place to live and do not get veterinary services.

If they fall sick, they tend to wither away. The average lifespan of wild ducks is the same as the average lifespan of pet ducks.

The only difference arises in the kind of care each of them receives. There are times when the average lifespan of pet ducks is greater than that of wild ducks, mainly because of the quality of food and care. However, this might not always be true.

The Pekin duck, for example, is a strong breed with great immunity and therefore may live long irrespective of whether it is a pet or wild. In the wild, Mallard ducks live only 3-5 years.

Which duck breed lives the longest?

There are several breeds of ducks present in the world today. The average lifespan depends on the veterinary care they receive and the kind of food they eat.

Among all the available and known duck breeds, the Canvasback lives the longest.

This duck is believed to have an average lifespan of 29 years and 7 months. Closely following this breed are some others, Blue-winged teal (23 years 3 months), Northern pintail (22 years 3 months), Black Duck (26 years and 5 months), American Wigeon (22 years 11 months), and so on.

These duck breeds have excellent immune systems and can survive harsh climates. The white Pekin duck usually starts breeding after 5-6 months of birth.

They are extensive breeders and therefore kept as domestic animals. A single Pekin duck can produce an average of 200-300 eggs in a year. Irrespective of the breed of duck, the survival of each breed largely depends on their living conditions and the kind of care they receive.

Factors That Affect How Long Pekin Ducks Live

Many factors affect the longevity of Pekin ducks. The most common is, of course, the place they live in and the kind of nutrition they receive. Below mentioned are all the factors that need to be kept in mind to ensure that your Pekin lives a longer and healthier life.

Food: Food is the first and foremost thing to keep in mind. Like humans, Pekin ducks also require proper nutrition to grow and stay healthy.

They need timely food. We get meat and eggs from the Pekin ducks. However, if the quality of food that goes inside the duck is not good, the quality of meat and eggs would also not be satisfactory.

Ducklings are fed with a lot of care and veterinary care is also given if and when needed. The ducklings are fed a special mixture consisting of all the required nutrients, such that a balanced amount is eaten by the ducklings.

As these ducklings turn into ducks, they start eating growers. This food provides the ducks with enough nutrients to grow. Once the ducks become adult drakes and hens are removed from a low protein diet to keep them healthy.

The baby ducklings require as much care as chickens do. However, as they grow up, their immunity builds.

Diet is an important component. The diet of ducks is maintained by giving them appropriate amounts of water and green vegetables. The diet of ducks needs to be taken care of.

Once ducks come into the habit of being fed by humans, they are unable to find food themselves to eat. They starve to death if the feeding is stopped.

House: Ducks are outdoor animals but they require proper housing to sleep in and move around. The flock stays together in the housing where the females often lay eggs. Even though Pekin ducks are strong and low maintenance, a minimum level of shelter is needed.

As compared to other feathered birds, Pekin ducks are easy to handle. The feathered white ducks need protection from harsh climates. It is important to create protection from predators, ensuring a longer lifespan.

Wellbeing: The well-being of these white-feathered birds is maintained by providing them food and shelter. Apart from this, they also should receive veterinary care.

Quarterly veterinary care is a must so that the caregivers know the status of their ducks’ health. Maintaining the well-being of ducklings requires additional attention. Most often there are fewer drakes in the coop as compared to the females.

Females are preferred in farms where the Pekin duck is made domestic especially for the collection of their eggs. On farms where ducks are domesticated for their meat and eggs, the drakes and female Pekins are all raised equally.

What was the oldest known Pekin duck?

Pekin ducks are being raised in the United States for several centuries now. They are known to have a lifespan of between 5-8 years on average.

But with proper care, the lifespan can be increased to 12 years as well. But sadly, there is no verified information available on the life of the oldest known Pekin duck.

In comparison, Mallard ducks live for around 3-5 years in the wild but in captivity, Mallard ducks can live for up to 10 years. Muscovy ducks live for up to 10 years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity.

All these live ducks are reared for meeting the meat and egg requirements of humans. Muscovy, Mallard, or Pekin ducks kept for egg production might only produce an optimal number of eggs per year for two or three years of their life.

How can you increase the lifespan of your Pekin duck?

The lifespan of a Pekin duck can be increased by paying close attention to its needs. The diet of a white duck should be maintained according to the stage of development, age, and weight. The drake, ducklings, and hens all start to call when they feel disturbed, threatened, or hungry.

It takes a long time to domesticate and train a white duck or a Mallard duck. If the proper quantity of food is not maintained in the diet then the duck will gain pounds. Alternatively, the duck may lose pounds.

Increasing the lifespan of a Pekin duck means ensuring that it has a good routine and a good duck house. The flock requires housing facilities.

These good pets call out when the weather is rough and they need to go inside their housing. Housing is to protect them from strong winds and predators.

The average lifespan of these white-feathered, yellow beak birds can further be increased from 12-20 years by ensuring that these pet birds live near water.

They are required to swim a little bit every day, to soak their necks and feet. These pet birds love to swim and float around even in winters and therefore it is important to make sure that even during winters the water body is not frozen.

Pekin ducks are calm birds. These pet birds may take up to three years to become trained but are excellent pets for as long as they live. The feathers on the drake and hen are shiny if maintained and fed properly.

They give long calls to call their caregivers. They have layers of feathers to protect them from the chilling conditions during winters.

Pekins can be kept as pets but they are not appropriate house pets. Ducks require outdoor experience. Pekins need to move around outside the house, go for a swim and call out loud.

If kept inside the house, their housing should be such that they can go outside whenever they wish to. Pekins are outdoor birds and cannot be kept indoors at all times.

Ducks love to call out to each other. They are social and love to be in a flock. However, if you plan to keep a Pekin duck as a pet, it is always better to bring two of them.

They like to be in pairs and flocks and are happier this way. Egg production also helps in increasing livelihood.

Even if you do not sell the white eggs, the egg production is enough for daily consumption. Pekins are friendly birds. They can play with toys and run around the outdoor space.

Like all pets, you will have to keep the housing of Pekins also clean. All pets need a clean housing facility to be in, so do Pekin ducks, despite how dirty they may seem.

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