Items12The creator’s order
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Khaki CampbellIf eggs are your priority, look for Khaki Campbells from a flock bred for laying. These are energetic, light ducks that suit a keeper who can give them room to move. Ask how the breeder’s own flock lays across the year, since laying performance varies between lines.0 - 2
Indian Runner duckA Runner’s upright, narrow body makes it easy to recognize on the move. Runners cover ground looking for insects and slugs, so they suit a keeper with room to give them a secure area to explore. Good laying lines can also produce plenty of eggs.0 - 3
American PekinThe familiar white Pekin is a heavy, fast-growing duck. Hens can also lay a useful number of white eggs. Plan the shelter and bathing area for a full-sized adult, with easy access at ground level. Pekins generally stay on the ground.0 - 4
Call duckA Call duck is small enough to make a Pekin look enormous, but its voice carries. Females are particularly loud. Choose it for a small companion flock only if the noise fits your setting, and plan a secure covered run because it can fly.0 - 5
Cayuga duckThe Cayuga’s green-black feathers can gleam in sunlight. These fairly quiet birds suit a keeper who wants a heavier forager and a seasonal supply of eggs. The first shells may be charcoal or nearly black, then grow paler over the laying season.0 - 6
Welsh HarlequinA Welsh Harlequin fits a flock where eggs and a fairly calm disposition both matter. The breed is active and likes to forage, but the hens are among the quieter domestic ducks. If you’ve been considering a Campbell, the Harlequin offers a similarly egg-focused starting point.0 - 7
Silver AppleyardThe Silver Appleyard is unusually useful if you want a heavy duck that still lays well. It’s a sturdy, generally calm bird that actively forages when given space. Full-sized Appleyards are much bigger than Runners, so allow more room at doors and around bathing water.0 - 8
Muscovy duckDomestic Muscovies come from a different species than the mallard-derived ducks on this list. Their softer calls appeal where noise matters. Adult males are much heavier than females, and Muscovies can fly, so plan a covered run and enough space for the larger birds.0 - 9
Orpington duckA Buff Orpington offers eggs and a comparatively steady temperament in a medium-sized bird. Start with it if you want ducks that will explore the yard but tend to startle less easily than some of the lighter, busier breeds. Hens can go broody, so ask the breeder what they’ve seen in their flock.0 - 10
Swedish BlueLook for slate-blue plumage with a white bib. Blue Swedish ducks usually have a calm disposition, and they favor a yard with grass to forage over close confinement. They mature more slowly and are less prolific layers than breeds selected mainly for eggs, such as the Khaki Campbell.0
