Rare Breed Ducks

Turkey Trot Rare Breeds :: Willowtrail Farm

§   Turkey Trot Rare Breeds   §
§ Ducks § Turkeys § Goats § Pigs §

Turkey Trot Rare Breeds proprietor Jenifer Morrissey raises ducks for meat and eggs.  An allergy to chicken eggs and a need for a high fat meat are key motivators.  "I've also learned that ducks are the happiest critters you can have in your barnyard, even when it's below zero!"
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Three breeds of eggs: 
Large - Silver Appleyard; 
Medium - Ancona; 
Small - Khaki Campbell

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Roast Ancona Duck

Silver Appleyards are considered a triple-duty duck, large enough for a meat carcass, productive enough for a laying flock, and beautiful to see.  The hens are the most notable with their cream-colored breasts. The Silver Appleyard breed is designated in critical status.

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 Silver Appleyard Hen

Anconas are like the chicken breed with the same name. No two ducks are marked quite the same, similar to paint horses and Holstein cattle. They are a medium-weight breed and do well in our challenging climate, foraging well for some of their food, and laying eggs prolifically. The Ancona duck breed is considered in critical status.

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Ancona homebred young ducks

Khaki Campbells are an egg breed. Under the right conditions, they can outlay chickens. They've done well in our challenging environment, laying earlier and later than the other breeds. While their eggs are small compared to Anconas and Silver Appleyards, they are still bigger than a medium chicken egg. The Khaki Campbell breed is considered in Watch status.

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Two Silver Appleyard and
one Ancona duckling.

 

The ducks at Turkey Trot Rare Breeds provide benefits beyond meat and eggs.  Jenifer says, "In the summer I pasture the ducks in moveable pens in a field of dandelions.  It's amazing how much greener the yard was this spring after just one year of moving the ducks about.  I utilize a system similar to pastured poultry, and I'm already seeing improvements in soil fertility."



 
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This page last updated: 04 March 2007
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