'Domesticated ducks' are
ducks that are raised for
meat,
eggs and
down. Many ducks are also kept for show, as pets or for their ornamental value. Most domesticated ducks are descended from the
Mallard (''Anas platyrhynchos'').
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Breeds
There are many existing breeds with more being created today. Most domesticated breeds are descendants from the wild Mallard with exception of the
Muscovy. Breeds are sorted into size classes. Below are breeds accepted by the
American Poultry Association.
Gender differences
There are several ways to tell if a duck is a female or a
drake. They can be sexed by voice when their voice changes at 4 to 5 weeks old. Females have a loud quack which ducks are known for. Drakes, however, have a raspy quiet quack. Depending on the breed and variety, drakes have different plumage than females. Day-old ducklings can be sexed by looking inside their
vents, but if this is done incorrectly it can hurt or possibly kill the duckling.
Sometimes drakes have curly tail feathers and female ducks have straight tail feathers.
Farming
Ducks have been farmed for hundreds of years. They are not as popular as the
chicken, because chickens have much more white lean meat and are easier to keep confined. Nevertheless, the duck is a popular and well known farm bird.
Ducks are farmed for their meat, eggs, and down. In
Vietnam their
blood is used in a food called
tiết canh. Their eggs are blue-green to white depending on the breed.
Ducks can be kept
free range, in cages, or in
batteries. To be healthy, ducks should be allowed access to
water, though battery ducks are often denied this. They should be fed a
grain and
insect diet. It is a popular misconception that ducks should be fed
bread; bread has limited nutritional value and can be deadly when fed to developing
ducklings. Ducks should be monitored for
avian influenza, as they are especially prone to infection with the dangerous
H5N1 strain.
The females of most breeds of domestic duck are very unreliable at sitting their eggs and raising their young, and it has been the custom on farms for centuries to put duck eggs under a
broody hen for hatching; nowadays
incubators are usually used. However, young ducklings rely on their mother for a supply of
preen oil to make them waterproof, and a hen does not make as much preen oil as a duck; and an incubator makes none.
As pets and ornamentals
Domesticated ducks can be kept as pets. They can be kept in a garden or backyard, and with special accessories, have also been known to be kept in the house as a pet. They will often eat insects and
slugs. A pond or water dish is recommended although they will probably dredge out and eat any wildlife and
frogspawn in a pond, and even swallow adult
frogs and
toads, as they have been bred to be much bigger than wild ducks with a "hull length" (base of neck to base of tail) of up to a foot or more. A
coop should be provided for shelter, and for safety at night from predators such as
foxes, as their size makes them unable to fly properly.
Ducks are also kept for their ornamental value. Breeds have been developed with crests and tufts or striking plumage. Shows are held in which ducks can be displayed.
See also
★
Peking Duck
★
Poultry
★
Indian Runner Duck
Gallery
External links
★
Muscovy,Pekin Pictures and information
★
Duck Breed Guide
★
Pictures of breeds of domestic ducks
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