Cayuga Duck

The Cayuga is almost umistakable, with its solid black bill and feet and its beautiful black feathers that gleam luminescent green in bright light. These unique, stunning ducks have been classified as “Threatened” by the The Livestock Conservancy for many years, but in 2020 were upgraded to the “Watch” classification. …

Australian Spotted Duck

Australian Spotted ducks are critically endangered and underappreciated, despite their beauty, friendliness, and adorable Call-like conformation. Less than 1000 birds exist, and there are only around 500 breeding birds. Australian Spotted ducks are very friendly, one of the hardiest of duck breeds, adventurous, long-lived, and good foragers. They can also …

Saxony Duck

The Saxony duck is a heavy duck breed, one of the best dual-purpose breeds there is. Their status is listed as threatened by The Livestock Conservancy, meaning there are less than 1000 known breeding birds in the United States and likely less than 5000 worldwide. In 2013, Germany recorded 1173 …

Abacot Ranger Duck

Abacot Rangers are extremely rare, beautiful, dual-purpose light ducks. They’re wonderful egg-layers, good for meat, good foragers, long-lived, friendly, hardy, and absolutely gorgeous. They’re also known as the Hooded Ranger in America, the Streicherente or Streicher in Germany, and the La Canard Streicher in France. Abacot Rangers are active foragers, …

Ancona Duck

The Ancona duck is a large dual-purpose duck breed that’s beautiful, friendly, excellent at foraging, and has recently been experiencing a surge of popularity. For a long time, they were listed by the American Livestock Breed Conservancy (ALBC) as “critically endangered.” However, a census taken by the ALBC in 2015 …

Duck Books

Finding information about ducks can be difficult. Some of us like wading through the sticky, murky swamp that is Google only to find a dozen contradictions rather than an answer; others of us prefer a good old book. Here are some good old books to guide you in your duck …

Starting the Flock

If you read Planning the Flock and heeded the advice by preparing everything for your ducks, congratulations! You’re off to a great start! So now you need to figure out what age you want your new ducks to be. Then find someone selling ducks, examine your prospects, and buy them! …

Why ducks?

Why would you own ducks? Why not chickens? Why not just buy eggs and meat from the supermarket? Why ducks? Most duck- and chicken-raisers say that the eggs from their own, healthy, naturally-raised ducks taste MUCH better than store-bought eggs. They say the meat at the store tastes like cardboard …