A low carrier built around weak legs
A Pekin travels in a low, wide carrier with a completely solid floor, sized for her to sit and turn without standing room to spare. The design starts from the breed's known weakness: a Pekin carries a meat bird's heavy body on legs that were not really built for it, and any setup that makes her scramble, slide or support herself at an angle risks a leg injury on the way to fixing something else. A carrier she walks into at ground level, or is set into from above with her weight supported, protects those legs; a tall carrier she must be tipped or dropped into does the opposite.
Lifting a Pekin the way her body requires
A Pekin should be lifted with both hands around her body, wings held gently against her sides, her full weight supported from underneath. Never lift a Pekin by her legs, and never carry her upside down; the strain on leg joints that already work hard is exactly what this trip must avoid. Walk slowly and keep the carry short, setting up the carrier close to the pen before you catch her, because a heavy duck grows heavier and more restless with every step. If she struggles, set her down in a safe spot, let her settle, and lift again rather than wrestling her across the yard.
Flooring and bedding for a heavy sitter
A Pekin spends a car ride sitting, and the surface under her breast and feet decides how she arrives. Line the carrier with a folded towel or a thick layer of straw over a rubber mat so her weight spreads on something with grip and give; a bare plastic floor lets her slide and splay, and splayed legs on a heavy bird are an injury in slow motion. Pekins soil bedding fast, so a spare lining for the return trip keeps her off wet towelling. Offer water in a heavy, spill-proof dish only while the car is parked, and take it out before you drive, since a duck will bathe in any water she can reach.
Cool, level and unhurried in the car
A Pekin overheats more readily than lighter ducks, because that heavy body and dense feathering hold warmth. Set the carrier level on the car floor in shade, keep the air cool and moving, and treat any open-billed panting as a signal to stop, shade the carrier and let her cool before driving on. A cloth over the carrier settles her, and a companion Pekin in an adjoining carrier often settles her further, since Pekins are flock birds that draw confidence from a familiar neighbour. Drive as gently as the traffic allows; every hard brake slides a heavy bird against the carrier door.
At the clinic and settling back home
A Pekin should be lifted out of her carrier, not tipped out, and the clinic should know her weight before handling her so the examination table and grip are ready for a big, calm but slippery bird. Ask for her to be set on a non-slip surface during the examination, since a shiny table is the transport problem all over again. Back home, place the carrier inside the pen at ground level, open the door and let her waddle out to water and her flock in her own time. Travelling with her weight record and any previous leg or laying concerns noted in KinsLe's Pet Passport lets the vet measure today's Pekin against the bird she usually is.