Duck breeds for a backyard farm

There are several types of domestic duck breeds for your backyard. The most common one is a White Pekin. There are more types of ducks all over the world. Let’s look at some of them below.

Pekin

Pekin originated from Beijing China. They are a calm and hardy breed. Pekins are best for table meat and for pets and eggs. It lays eggs between 150- 200 a year, friendly and very docile. It’s too heavy to fly and likes to feed on grasses, weed, bugs or worms. This breed doesn’t have the tendency for broodiness hence cannot sit on eggs easily to hatch ducklings, so artificial incubation is preferred.

If you are looking for a breed of duck which friendly, attractive and less noisy for your backyard, Pekin is for you.

Indian Runner

It originates from Indonesia where they are used to control insect infestation in rice. Runners are extremely active, aggressive and energetic. They are excellent foragers and works and stand in an upright position. Although they do not like swimming, they do appreciate pools for regular baths. Indian Runners come in various colors which include; black, fawn, white, buff, grey and chocolate. They are fairly light weighing about 3-5.5 pounds. Runners can lay up to 200 eggs per year and they are not as calm as Pekins although they can make good pets.

Mallard

Except for Muscovies, all other domestic duck breeds developed from Mallard. They are small at about 2.5 pounds hence can easily fly. A covered run is essential to keep them off flying away. The females are brown in color with bluish tips while their male counterparts have a distinctive greenish head. Mallards produce about 60-120 eggs per year and can go broody to hatch ducklings if allowed. They are energetic and talkative breed, more gregarious than those mentioned above and love to swim in pools or ponds.

Khaki Campbell

Khaki Campbell was developed in England in the early 1900s by crossing the Runner breed, Rouen breed, and Mallard breed. Recognized in the US as a breed in the 1940s, they have a light brown with the bluish-green bill, the female feet are brown while the male feet are orange. They are not broody and lays over 300 eggs per year. Khaki Campbell weighs between 3.5 to 5.5 pounds and is excellent foragers and good pets for the backyard farm.

Swedish

It originated from Pomerania parts of Northern Europe and Scandinavia under the control of Sweden. They were first brought to the US in the late 1800s and it produces 120-180 eggs per year. It is an attractive breed suitable for the exhibition and is hardy, calm and good foragers. Difficult for predators to spot and the female goes broody, its weight is about 5-6.5 pounds.

Conclusion

Regardless of what breed of duck you choose to breed, you will find joy in rearing them. Their hardiness and high productivity are some of the golden properties you can gain in raising ducks. They can easily mingle with any breed of egg laying chicken and even go further to provide protection to chicken against predators.