ducks

As with many domesticated species, ducks have been genetically selected for different purposes, primarily meat production and egg production. In addition, ducks are raised for exhibition, pest control, herd dog training, and feather and down production. If you plan to raise ducks, it is important to choose a breed that best suits your particular needs.

All domesticated duck breeds are believed to have originated from the wild mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). The male mallard has a couple of curled tail feathers, called sex feathers. No other wild duck has these sex feathers, yet the males of all domesticated duck breeds do.

Another bird widely kept in domestication is the Muscovy. Although often referred to as a duck, the Muscovy actually is a different species. It is hard to categorize Muscovies—they have a body like a duck; they nest, attack predators, and hiss like a goose; they roost like a chicken; and they have a plump breast like a turkey. The male Muscovy has characteristic fleshy growths around the eyes called caruncles. It is believed that Muscovies originated from South America. They are still found in the wild in the warm regions of that continent and are raised domestically throughout the world. The Muscovy is called the Barbary duck in southern Europe and North Africa and the Brazilian duck in Brazil. In the Guineas, it is known as the guinea duck or turkish duck because of the caruncles on its face. The Spanish call it the Pato, as do some handlers in the United States. The Muscovy also is known as the Cairo duck, Indian duck, musk duck, and turkey duck.

There are 17 breeds of ducks recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA). The APA publishes the American Standard of Perfection (also known as the APA standard), which describes ideals for various breeds of domestic fowl. Duck breeds are categorized by the APA into four classes—heavy, medium, lightweight, and bantam.

Meat Production
Heavy and medium weight ducks typically are raised for meat production. The main breeds are the Pekin and the Muscovy.

Around 90 percent of the duck meat produced in the United States is from the Pekin. Commercial producers are able to obtain a duck weighing 7 to 8 pounds in seven weeks. Under small farm conditions, a Pekin usually reaches 6 to 7 pounds in seven or eight weeks. The Pekin is popular because of its fast growth rate and yellow skin. Pekins should not be raised past 10 weeks because at that age, they become difficult to pluck due to their pin feathers and their feed efficiency declines sharply. Pekins are considered a general purpose breed because the hens lay fairly large numbers of white-shelled eggs.

The meat breed of choice in many areas is the Muscovy, which thrives under free-range conditions. Because the Muscovy originates from the warmer areas of the Southern Hemisphere, its meat is leaner than meat from ducks, which tends to be fatty. Another difference between the Muscovy and ducks is length of incubation—35 days for the Muscovy versus 28 days for ducks. The male Muscovy can become very large (10 to 12 pounds); the female is smaller (5 to 6 pounds). Muscovies must be butchered by 16 weeks of age, or the meat becomes too firm.

Another option for meat production is a Muscovy cross. When a Muscovy is crossed with a duck, the offspring are sterile and often are referred to as mule ducks or moulard ducks, depending on the cross. Many commercial duck operations in Europe raise mule or moulard ducks.

If you want more colorful ducks and can accept a slower growth rate, consider choosing from other breeds that can be used for meat production. Options include the following breeds:

Aylesbury. The Aylesbury is a pure white duck that originated in England and is popular there because of its white skin. (In general, the yellow-skinned Pekins are not popular in England, and the white-skinned Aylesburies are not popular in the United States.) Like the Pekin, the Aylesbury (which can grow to 8 to 10 pounds) reaches a market weight of 7 pounds in eight weeks. The deeper keel and loose feathers of the Aylesbury make it seem larger than the Pekin.
Cayuga. The only duck breed developed in the United States, the Cayuga originated near Cayuga Lake in New York State. Unlike Pekin and Aylesbury ducks, which reach market weight in eight weeks, the Cayuga and other heavy breeds take 12 to 16 weeks to finish as a market bird. Today, Cayugas are raised mainly for exhibition, but they also are an option for meat production.
Buff Orpington. Although they are smaller than Pekins and Aylesburies, Buff Orpingtons sometimes are raised for meat. The Buff Orpington was originally considered an egg breed, and it lays very well if not allowed to get too heavy. The Buff Orpington breed is not recognized in the current APA standard.
Rouen. The Rouen reaches 7 to 8 pounds in 12 to 15 weeks, with the bulk of the weight gain happening after the bird is 12 weeks of age.