The Different Breeds Of Ducks!

Duck raising is becoming more and more popular because they are easier and less expensive to maintain than the chickens.

There are several breeds of ducks and some varieties are good for egg production, while some are better for their meat and yet others are used just for ornamental purposes.

The egg type ducks include Khaki Campbell and the Indian Runner.

Khaki Campbell is a cross of the Fawn and white Runner and Mallard ducks. Adult drakes weigh anywhere from 2.2 kg to 2.4 kg and ducks weigh between 2.0 kg and 2.2 kg. They lay almost 300 eggs in an year, which is a very good number.

Indian Runner comes in three varieties, the Fawn and White Runner, White Runner and the Penciled variety. They lay around 250 eggs per year and this breed is considered to be the best egg layer next only to Khaki Campbell.

There are a few good varieties of meat type ducks; the most famous are the White Pekin, Aylesbury and Muscovy. Another type of ducks that are found in Andhra Pradesh, in a place called Kolluru are similar to broiler chicken and the meat is said to be tastier along with being nutritious.

Duck meat is said to be slightly high in fat and the protein content is almost the same as the hen.

White Pekin, which is from China, wins hands down as the best meat producing duck and is the most popular. These are large birds with white feathers. They are nervous by nature and bad sitters and one has to be careful as these birds expect to be treated gently.

Muscovy is more like a goose as it grazes and eats grasses. They are extremely powerful in flight, but nature-wise they are friendly and can be tamed easily. There are two types, the white and the dark Muscovy. Their claws are very sharp and can easily rip open a person’s hand, unless these birds are handled by the wings.

Aylesbury is considered to be a perfect table bird because of the light bone structure and the high percentage of white and creamy flesh. The meat production is excellent and it gets ready for the market in just eight weeks.

The crested White are the ornamental variety of ducks. In fact, they are considered to be dual purpose birds, which can lay a fair amount of eggs and also grow rapidly enough to make good meat. They are mostly used for ornamental purposes because they look gorgeous and stand out in a group of birds, with their unique and beautiful crest on the head. They would make a perfect entry at any fair or competition.

With so many varieties to choose from, you will just have to pick a good variety based on your needs.

Matthew Smith has been working with poultry for many years. Advice is offered on keeping poultry and raising ducks.