Choosing the right breed of domestic duck
Characteristics of domestic duck breeds
Major Domestic Duck Classifications
Domestic ducks are going to be sorted into several major characteristics:
- The size or “class”. Ducks are divided into 4 classes according to their size and weight: bantam (~dwarf? lightest), lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight.
- The species. The descendants of the Mallard are of the species Anas platyrhynchos domesticus and those of the Muscovy duck are Cairina moschata domesticus.
- There breed. It’s the classical mode of designation (Rouen, Indian runner, Campbell…)
- The variety. Some breeds have several varieties, with for example color variations. There is for example the black or white Indian runner, the French or English Rouen duck…
- The strain or lineage. This is a very precise genetic vision relating to the specific line from which the animal comes. Usually it is named after the person who designed “the mix”.
Practical features
More concretely, there are also several aspects to take into account:
- Efficiency as a layer. Many breeds of ducks lay only a few eggs (50-100 per year). If you want a stable supply, choose a breed that produces at least 200 eggs per year.
- The behaviour. Some breeds of ducks are more fun than others. At this level, the aptly named “cute ducks” (call duck) are often acclaimed for example.
- Effectiveness as a culture aid. Some duck breeds are more efficient and motivated than others at eating weeds and insects. Their help for your vegetable garden is therefore variable.
There are other variables, such as the incubation period of the eggs or the maturation time of the animals, but they concern more farms and not individuals.
The main breeds of domestic ducks
We are going to offer you a list of the main breeds of domestic ducks, classifying them by their “weight categories”: Bantam, light weight, medium weight and heavy weight.
To make it more digestible, I will only tell you about the most common breeds. If you want an exhaustive list, you can consult the Wikipedia list.
The heavy weights
This is the flagship category of meat breeds, especially Pekin ducks. The ducks are between 3 and 5.5kg, or even more. Some breeds are also good layers, such as the Appleyard (200-270) or the Saxon (190-240).
Appleyard
The appleyard is a silver breed developed by Reginald Appleyard in the 1930s. The canes lay between 200 and 270 eggs per year.
Aylesbury
The Aylesburys are, like the Pekin ducks, a meat breed with a totally white plumage. The appellation dates back to the Vale of Aylesbury in the early 19th century, but the breed seems older.
Muscovy duck
The muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) descends from musk duck and is, like the mallard, one of the “base” races, which later produced the others. Non-migratory animals native to Central America and part of South America, they are used to spending a lot of time in trees: they nest there, stand there to observe their environment, etc. They had already been domesticated for centuries when Christophe Collomb arrived.
Their great particularity is the red protuberance around the eye to the beak. They are very self-sufficient, consuming more herbs and being particularly adept at catching flies.
Peking ducks
Ducks were already domesticated in China before the 2nd millennium and became an important livestock there. Introduced in the United States in 1873, Peking ducks now dominate the market for duck meat there. Like the Aylesburys, their plumage is totally white. Their canes are decent layers, laying 125 to 225 eggs per year.
Rouen
The Rouen domestic duck breed comes, as its name suggests, from France, but, as its name does not indicate, not from Rouen. This duck is a meat breed very similar in color to the Mallard (but several times larger). There are two varieties of Rouen ducks: French Rouen ducks and English Rouen ducks.
Saxony duck
THE saxony ducks are a breed resulting from a cross between the Rouen, German Pekin and Pomeranian blue (Swedish?) duck breeds in the 1930s. The ducks lay between 190 and 240 eggs per year.
The average weights
Medium weights weigh between 2.75 and 3.5 kg and have a generalist role: they are correct layers and are viable as meat producers.
Orpington
The Orpington breed was first attributed to William Cook, a renowned chicken breeder who lived near Orpington, Kent. It is believed to be the result of a cross between Aylesbury, Rouen, Coureur Indien and Cayuga. Orpingtons make decent layers: 150 to 220 eggs per year.
Swedish duck
THE sweden blue duck comes from Pomerania (a region in northern Germany that was Swedish in the 19th century) and is… blue. It is a meat breed whose eggs can be not only white, but also blue or green.
The light weights
Ducks in the “light weight” class are between 1.5 and 2.5 kg. This category is made up of excellent layers, the breeds making at least 150 eggs per year (Runner) and at most 330 and 340 with Harlequin and Campbell.
They are also the most active ducks in feeding themselves.
Kakhi Campbell
Kakhi Campbell (we will abbreviate Cambell) ducks are a breed developed by Miss Campbell in the late 1800s in Gloucestershire, England. They come from the cross between an Indian Runner and a Rouen.
They are the best egg-laying breed: the canes lay between 250 and 340 eggs per year, with an average around 300. It is perhaps even the breed of bird producing the most eggs in the world.
Welsh Harlequin
Welsh Harlequins are a very aesthetic breed, with beautiful color variations. It is one of the most complete breeds, active against pests, producing good meat and on a par with the Campbells in terms of laying: the canes lay between 240 and 330 eggs per year.
Indian runner duck
It is undoubtedly one of the ducks with the most amazing appearance: they have an extremely elongated silhouette and stand very straight, almost like humans. It is also perhaps one of the oldest races: hieroglyphics suggest that it has existed for more than 2000 years. “Indian Runner” ducks were introduced to England around 1850 from Malaya and can be white or black.
It is one of the most complete breeds: in addition to their aesthetic qualities, they are pleasant pets, are effective in controlling pests and have good laying performance (150 to 300 eggs per year).
bantam ducks
Bantams are the smallest ducks: they weigh between 500g and 1kg. They are mostly popular as pets or for aesthetics, but can also be bred for their particularly fine flesh.
They are poor layers, producing at best 125 eggs per year.
Cute ducks (“call”)
The “cute ducks” or “call ducks” in English are the noisiest domestic ducks. They are also used as “live bait” to attract wild ducks, especially by hunters.
As their name suggests, they are particularly cute and enthusiastic. Ideal as pets.
Emerald Duck (“East Indie”)
THE emerald duck is a superb domestic duck with black plumage with a green iridescence. It is also called East Indian duck or Labrador duck.
If they are magnificent and make perfect pets, they are less playful than the ‘call’ ducks.
Mallard (“Mallard”)
In France, if you see a wild duck, it is likely to be a Mallard. Mallards were already domesticated 500 years BC by the Romans and are somewhat the species from which most races derive.
Anecdote: it is to this race that the NCIS character “Doctor Mallard” and his nickname “Ducky” refer, because Colvert is called “Mallard” in English.