Ducks
Hatch Weeks: March 25; April 8, 22; May 6, 20; June 3, 17, 24; July 8, 22; August 5, 19.
Notes: Please remember that duck breeds may lay very well, but once hot weather sets in fertility drops considerably. Amounts of a breed available after mid June will be dependent upon the fertility. We are committed to educate the public on the advantages of waterfowl from the health, production and gardener's point of view. Please consider ducks as a part of your farm flock this year. Someone needs to be the cheerleader for ducks and I'm going to do my best to promote them at every opportunity. Ducks are hardy. Many breeds lay very well. They handle disease, pests and stress so well. I've been quoted as saying they are the slobs of the poultry world chiefly because they can be messy. They do, however, enjoy life and are a delight to have on the farm from day one. They are superb grass and insect control in an orchard!
Order limits: The number in parenthesis after a breed is the maximum number of that breed that is available from any one hatch. You may order fewer than that number if you would like. If you would like more than that number of that particular breed, you must order enough birds for two (or more) separate shipments from two (or more) separate hatch dates.
Duck Assortments
Assorted Ducklings: This can be any from the entire list. We will include several types. It will not be only one kind. Ducklings $1.85 each (60) (SOLD OUT TO 6/17/08)
Egg-type Ducks
Assorted Egg-Type Ducklings: Assortment will be made up from Khaki Campbell, Golden Cascade and Welsh Harlequin but may also include Dark Campbell or White Campbell if available. Ducklings $1.75 each (60) (SOLD OUT TO 7/8/08)
Dark Campbell: Drakes have green heads with brownish grey bodies. Hens are dark cocoa brown with thin khaki penciling and are excellent layers starting at an early age. Ducklings $5.00 each (5)
Golden Cascade: Drakes have greenish-bronze heads with white neck collars, red chestnut breasts, creamy-buff undersides. Hens are a buff color. Live weight is between 6 and 7 pounds. These were introduced in 1984 by Holderread's Waterfowl. They are top notch layers and are deserving of greater world numbers. Over the past several years they have laid almost 100% from early January through August, have taken a couple of weeks off, and then returned to heavy production through the end of the season. Young that are hatched in April will frequently start to lay by Fall. Ducklings $4.00 each (30)
Khaki Campbell: Small size, efficient on feed for the eggs produced. Drakes resemble a mallard drake only dark brown. Hens are a seal brown color. Ducklings $2.75 each (30)
Welsh Harlequin: Males have a greenish head, reddish breast, soft-buffy fawn with eyes of darker color on the feathers. Hens lack the green head and red breast. Good layers of white eggs and average 3 to 3.5 pound dressed weight. These were developed in 1949 in Wales from a Khaki Campbell color mutation. They are slightly larger than Khaki Campbells. They do have two color phases (gold and silver). Both are kept together. The chief difference in the colors is in the hens where the gold phase is light brown in color and the silver is a light silver-gray. The carcass of butchered specimens is excellent for lower fat and high flavor. Ducklings $3.50 each (15)
White Campbell: Pure white version of the Khaki. Good layers. Bills can be either pink or yellow in color. Once into heavy production, darkening of the bills can occur. We are happy to have a fairly large population that will allow us to spread these around even more. Ducklings $4.00 each (10)
Runners
Assorted Runner Ducklings: This assortment can be from any of the Runner-type ducks we offer. Ducklings $2.75 each (15) (SOLD OUT TO 7/8/08)
Black Runner: Pure black, erect standing. Ducklings $5.00 each (6)
Blue Pearl Runner: Drakes have a blue-grey head and neck with a white neck ring, reddish brown chest. Underbody is a bluish-grey. Hens are mallard color except diluted to bluish-brown. Some off-type ducklings can be expected. Ducklings $4.00 each (6) (SOLD OUT TO 6/3/08)
Buff Runner: Same color as a Buff duck. A rich fawn-buff throughout. This is a tough color pattern. Heads of drakes can be bluish-grey or seal brown, but select for fawn-buff. Ducklings $4.00 each (6)
Fawn and White Runner: Fawn cap and cheek patches, patches of white alternating with patches of fawn and a distinct white belly. Ducklings $4.00 each (6)
Grey Runner (Mallard Runner): Typical mallard duck color pattern with a runner body. Males have an emerald green head, white neck ring that does not close at reddish brown breast and a steel grey underbody. Ducklings $4.00 each (6) (SOLD OUT TO 6/17/08)
Khaki Runner: Good type, khaki color pattern. Ducklings $4.00 each (12)
Penciled Runner: Similar to Fawn and White except males have a darker, dull, bronze-green head. Females have penciling in the non-white areas. Ducklings $5.00 each (6)
White Runner: Pure white in color, orange bill and feet. Ducklings $4.00 each (6)
Dutch Hookbill: Small, active ducks with a distinctly different hook-shaped bill. There are three color phases: dusky, white and grey. They lay incredibly well, but don't seem to hatch well. We keep all three colors together. These are grouped here because they do lay well and because they are too small to be considered a meat breed. They will not be included in the Assorted Egg-Type Duckling assortment. Ducklings $5.00 each (10) (SOLD OUT FOR THE ENTIRE 2008 SEASON)
Meat-type Ducks
Assorted Meat-type Ducklings: Please understand that this grouping was established by us. Each of these breeds can have multiple purposes, but we have classified them here. Many object to Black Cayugas being in this class, but they dress fine for us to a nice 4 to 4.5 pound carcass. Ducklings $2.50 each (30)
Ancona: A very colorful, spotted or pied colored duck. This is the breed for the individual that wants just one breed but cannot decide upon a color. They are excellent layers and a good meat bird. They range in color from blue or black to a pied and chocolate color. Sold as mixed colors only. The ducklings are darling with their unique color patterns. Ducklings $5.00 each (10) (SOLD OUT FOR THE ENTIRE 2008 SEASON)
Black Cayuga: Pure black with a greenish purple cast in the sunlight. First eggs of the season are a purple black in color. They are good layers and excellent for meat. Ducklings $3.25 each (15)
Black Magpie: Same color pattern as the Blue Magpie only in black. Ducklings $5.00 each (5)
Blue Cayuga: Large size, deep blue color, truly striking in appearance. Remember with all blue fowl, some non-blue offspring occur. The 25% that are a silver color from this mating are also rather attractive in appearance. Select away from the ones which occasionally show white in the body. Ducklings $4.00 each (15)
Blue Magpie: Uniquely marked plumage with mainly blue backs and, in ideal specimens, a blue cap. 5 to 6 pounds (live weight), white egg layers. Ducklings $5.00 each (5)
Blue Swedish: A good egg laying and dual purpose breed with blue feathers and a white bib. Remember that you can get a Splash called Silver and a Black from a Blue to Blue mating. Ducklings $4.00 each (10)
Buff: Soft buff color, gentle, a good source of pets for children, also for eggs and meat. They are an easy breed to dress and are nice and plump. Ducklings $3.25 each (15)
Pekin: Large, white feathered with bright orange bills. We select for large size and rapid growth. Ducklings $3.00 each (15)
Rouen: Large, exhibition type, not the common, commercial strain. Our Rouens are selected from the excellent stock of Holderread's Waterfowl. Ducklings $8.00 each (10) (SOLD OUT TO 6/24/08)
Saxony: German breed, 4 to 6 lbs (dressed weight). Drakes are a buffy color with a blue grey head, back and wings and a chestnut burgundy breast. Hens are buff colored with white facial stripes. Ducklings $4.00 each (15)
Silver Appleyard: Drakes are like a Welsh Harlequin in color, but much larger in size. Hens are a mottled tannish color. First imported from Britain to the U.S. in 1982. A great deal of variability exists in the coloring of the females. Ducklings $4.00 each (15)
White Crested: Pure white, orange bills and feet, large white crests. Very ornamental. Ducklings $5.00 each (10)