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What were the Pekin duck breed for.

If you mean the Pekin duck - then this is from Wikipedia:

Pekin duck, or Long Island duck (Anas platyrhynchos domestica, or Anas peking, is a breed of domesticated duck used primarily for egg and meat production. It was bred from the Mallard in China. The ancestors of those ducks originated from the canals which linked waterways in Nanjing and originally had small bodies and black feathers. With the relocation of the Chinese capital to Beijing, supply barge traffic increased in the area which would often spill grain during trips the ducks fed. As a result, the ducks slowly increased in size and grew white feathers. By the Five Dynasties, the new species of duck had been domesticated by Chinese farmers.

In 1873 nine ducks were exported from China to Long Island, New York in the United States and the animals and their meat are sometimes referred to as "Long Island duckling". It is the most popular commercial duck breed in the United States, although some farming has since relocated to Indiana from Suffolk County, New York. Around 95% of duck meat consumed in the United States is Pekin duck.

If you type Pekin duck into google - you'll get loads of information!

Roova hit the nail on the head anyway Wizz they are lovely pet ducks also.

Keep up the questions Wizz its the only way you will learn.

thanks sebducks,
please can we do like sebducks is saying and have some patience , as wizz is a valued member here ,

as is everyone else,
and remember we are the friendly poultry site , just 1 big happy family ,

regards jase

Since this is on pekin ducks i will add some info

Pekins come in 2 forms first is the "utility" form ,bred for egg or meat production these are small birds.
and then they come in the "exhibition" form ,bred for show and these are very big and heavy birds.

How about this (http://www.helium.com/items/1779538-duc ... acts-pekin)

The Pekin Duck is one of the world’s most commercially raised ducks, especially in the United States where it is raised for both its meat and also its egg production. As the name suggests it was of course originally bred in China, where it came from an original mallard duck breed, but was imported to Great Britain and the United States in 1873.

The Pekin Duck is an upright waterfowl weighing between 3.5kg and 5kg, with the larger weight being from those ducks raised for their meat. The Pekin Duck is now the duck most likely to be found in Peking Duck, having replaced the black Nanjing duck many years ago. The Pekin Duck is also a prolific egg layer with an average of 150 eggs laid per year, although individual ducks laying 200 eggs is not unknown.

The upright nature of the Pekin Duck provides the bird with an upturned rump. The duck itself is predominantly white in colour. It does though have orange shanks with a yellow to orange bill.

Pekin Ducklings are bright yellow in colour, with orange feet, shanks and bill. As with most ducks it is almost impossible to distinguish the sex of Pekin Duck hatchlings, although when they reach maturity the curled tail feather of the male is the distinguishing feature. Like most ducks the Pekin Duck will feed on small fish, aquatic animals and plants, although there are a number of manufactured feeds that will be sufficient for the duck as well.

Outside of a commercial setting the Pekin Duck is increasingly becoming viewed as a pet for many small holders. The friendly nature of the bird and its non-aggressive temperament means that when the duck is raised from a youngster it will respond to its owner. As a pet, the Pekin Duck can live for as long as 12 years. An added benefit for the smallholder is that the eggs of Pekin Ducks are easy to incubate, with an embryo taking 28 days to form. With only a minimal amount of care these eggs can be easily hatched.

Some care though does need to be taken, as although most Pekin Ducks are incapable of flight, lighter ones have been known to take to the air, thus wing clipping may be required. They also of course love water but may require a helping hand out of water in the form of a ramp.

And this: As they are open feathered they are more likely to get mites / ticks / fly strike . . . watch in extreme humid heat for signs of distress
And: The larger show ducks, resulting from their massive body weight and small legs, are always in danger of leg injuries.

sorry

Pekin Duck has been roasted in China since the Southern and Northern Dynasties. A variation of roast duck was prepared for the Emperor of China in the Yuan Dynasty. The dish, originally named "Shaoyazi" was mentioned in the Complete Recipes for Dishes and Beverages manual in 1330 by Hu Sihui an inspector of the imperial kitchen. The Peking Roast Duck that came to be associated with the term was fully developed during the later Ming Dynasty and by then, Peking Duck was one of the main dishes on imperial court menus. The first restaurant specialising in Peking Duck, Bianyifang, was established in the Xianyukou, Qianmen area of Beijing in 1416.

By the Qianlong Period (1736-1796) of the Qing Dynasty, the popularity of Peking Duck spread to the upper classes, inspiring poetry from poets and scholars who enjoyed the dish. For instance, one of the verses of Duan Zhu Zhi Ci, a collection of Beijing poems was, "Fill your plates with roast duck and suckling pig". In 1864, the Quanjude restaurant was established in Beijing. Yang Quanren the founder of Quanjude, developed the hung oven to roast ducks. With its innovations and efficient management, the restaurant became well known in China, introducing the Peking Duck to the rest of the world

By the mid-20th century, Peking Duck had become a national symbol of China, favored by tourists and diplomats alike. For example, Henry Kissinger, the Secretary of State of the United States, met Premier Zhou Enlai in the Great Hall of the People on July 10, during his first visit to China. After a round of inconclusive talks in the morning, the delegation was served Peking Duck for lunch, which became Kissinger's favorite. The Americans and Chinese issued a joint statement the following day, inviting President Richard Nixon to visit China in 1972. Peking Duck was hence considered one of the factors behind the rapprochement of the United States to China in the 1970s. Following Zhou's death in 1976, Kissinger paid another visit to Beijing to savor Peking Duck.Peking Duck, at the Quanjude in particular, has also been a favorite dish for various political leaders ranging from Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro to former German chancellor Helmut Kohl.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peking_Duck#History

If you are wanting to keep them, then I would recommened them.