If you are planning to pet ducks or start a farm you might wonder which ducks will be better for you. There are so many breeds of ducks available. Pekin is one of them. Now pekins are also divided into different types. There are white Pekins, jumbo pekins, etc.
That is why you might be thinking- Jumbo Pekin duck vs Pekin duck- Which one will be better for you?
Pekin ducks are a very popular duck breed. Though jumbo Pekin and white Pekin both have Pekin in their name, there are some key differences. White Pekin or popularly known as Pekin duck are widely available ducks. They are raised mainly for eggs. Jumbo Pekins are large in size and raised for meat.
That’s not all. So read on to find out what are other differences between these breeds are. We’ve prepared a head-head comparison based on some common features/factors.
Below, let’s start with the elaborated table to know the main differences-
Jumbo Pekin Duck Vs Pekin Duck: Head-Head Battle
| Characteristics | Jumbo Pekin | White Pekin |
| Life span | 8-12 years | 8-12 years |
| Size | 15-18% larger than white Pekins | Comparatively smaller than jumbo Pekins |
| Body Feature | Have fatty lobe between two legs | Don’t have fatty lobe between two legs |
| Flying Ability | Can’t fly | Can’t fly. Pekin ducks are too heavy to get airborne. Though individual ducks may be lighter. So they are capable of short flights. As a result, clipping their flight feathers will ensure that they will not be able to fly away. |
| Incubation Period | 28 days | 27-28 days |
Jumbo Pekin Duck Vs. Pekin Duck: In-Depth Comparison
Let’s know everything about jumbo pekin and white pekin in detail.
Firstly, a bit of similarity between them. Just like other waterfowls, both jumbo pekin and pekin ducks have feet that are perfect for paddling in the water. That’s why they want to stay on the water and walk less. They feel more comfortable this way when they are free to swim in the water.
Other characteristics like overall size, habitat, and egg-laying are discussed below-
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Overall Size
Female Pekins usually weigh around 3.6-4 kg. Male Pekins weighs 4-4.5 kg.
Whereas, the Jumbo Pekins weigh 4-6 kg. That is why jumbo Pekins are usually raised for meat production.
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Food Food
Diet of the Pekin ducks depends on which environment you are keeping your ducks. If you are keeping your ducks in your backyard or keeping them free range. You have to give them food.
People often give chicken feed to Pekin ducks. If the ducks are not free-ranging, a game bird meal will supply extra protein. You can use this occasionally, though.
On the other hand, the chicken starter feed is also safe for ducklings as well. Here, the right amount of calcium and other vital nutrients in the mix helps the ducks to create better quality eggs.
You can feed the same food to jumbo pekin ducks. Make sure to give them more than white Pekin ducks. Jumbo Pekins are large in size and they are always hungry.
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Habitat
Pekin ducks need a safe and warm place to stay. It helps them to sleep peacefully and take shelter in bad weather.
Well, the Pekin ducks like to stay outside during rain but they don’t like thunderstorms. Also, the Jumbo Pekins don’t like rain much. They take shelter after a while when the rain starts.
Other than that, Pekin ducks and jumbo pekin ducks shelter should be kept clean and dry throughout the year.
Both jumbo pekin duck and Pekin duck splash water during drinking. So it can make the place they stay muddy. Give them water in a different corner of their shelter.
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Egg Laying
White Pekin ducks lay 200-300 eggs per year on average. They give more eggs than jumbo pekins. Also, the color of the egg is white. They are extra large and weigh approximately 3 ounces.
Whereas, the jumbo Pekin lays 140-175 eggs per year on average.
Female Pekin starts laying eggs when she is 5-6 months old. If the female duck hit this age during the winter season. You should keep light so that she can lay eggs.
Jumbo pekin and white pekin duck lay one egg per day. They will lay eggs where they feel safe. Also, they can lay eggs in the place where already another duck laid eggs.
You can track your duck to lay eggs where you want by putting a golf ball. Pekin ducks are less broody than other ducks. That means they are less likely to sit on eggs until they hatch.
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Hatchling
Though pekin ducks brood their own eggs but jumbo pekin ducks doesn’t like to brood their eggs. As a mother, pekin ducks are better than jumbo pekin ducks. But you don’t need to worry about hatching the egg. You can just use an incubator.
Which One Is Better?
Now you know that from Pekin duck you can have more eggs and meat at the same time. Pekin duck is a kinda all-rounder duck. Whereas, jumbo pekin duck can grow very fast. So, it is a very good source of meat. In a sense, white Pekin is a better option than jumbo Pekin.
FAQs
How Fast Do Jumbo Pekins Duck Grow?
Pekin ducks grow very quickly. So if you are interested in the meat you can choose jumbo Pekin. Jumbo Pekin grows 90% of their adult weight at 7-8 weeks of age.
What’s The Difference Between A White Layer Duck And A Pekin Duck?
White layers are very common for production. They are fast to mature. Also, white layer ducks have the excellent egg-laying capability. They can lay more eggs than Pekin ducks. Likewise, white layer ducks and Pekin ducks have similar kinds of appearances. Their body is white and the bill is orange. Their eyes are black.
How Do You Know If You Have A Jumbo Pekin?
It’s hard to tell if your duck is jumbo or white Pekin when they are young. Jumbo Pekins have a wider bill. Also, they have a blocky appearance. When they are 3 weeks old you will notice that they have a fat-looking appearance.
End Note
Hopefully your jumbo pekin duck vs pekin duck confusion is cleared now. Both jumbo pekin and white pekin are good ducks.
In the United States, more than half of all ducks raised are Pekins. They provide high-quality meat. Both breeds of Pekins are fast-growing. Which is one of the reasons why they are so popular.
So you can raise any of the Pekins you want. You won’t regret it.
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