03 « April « 2012 « Dancing Aspens Farm Blog

Some of the new arrivals at the farm.

Murdoch’s, our local feed store is a dangerous place to go this time of year. Who can resist these little cuties? Obviously, not us!

2 Blue Swedish

These attractive ducks are known for their blue color and have a white bib that runs from under the bill halfway down the breast. They also have some white on their wings that creates a very eye appealing color contrast with the blue. Swedish are very hardy ducks and good foragers. Drakes will weigh up to 8 pounds. The hens will weigh up to 7 pounds and will lay mostly white eggs with an occasional blue or gray tinted egg.

Hayden with a handful of ducklings!

2 White Crested. Cute little puff balls on their heads.

The White Crested Duck is a good dual-purpose breed as they lay an admirable quantity of eggs and grow rapidly if you want to butcher some. The ducklings we ship will all have large quality crests on them. These ducks stand out in a group with the very unique crest on their head and would make a fine entry at your country fair.

Garrett with his duckling "Lion"...

Emma's White Crested duckling "Dande"

2 Indian Runner Ducklilngs...

These ducks were developed in Scotland around 1900 from stock that came from the East Indies. These uniquely appearing ducks have long, slender bodies and a vertical posture thus leading to their nicknames of “Penguin Ducks” or “Bottle Necks.” Runners do not waddle like other ducks but move with a quick step. They are smaller ducks that are good foragers, lay white eggs, and are a very interesting addition to any farmstead.

Zayne and his Runner duckling "Climby"...

Teigen, with his Runner duck "Flapper"

1 Cayuga duckling...

The Cayuga takes its name from Lake Cayuga, New York which makes it one of the few duck breeds with an United States origin. The Cayuga is a quiet duck that is very hardy and is known primarily for its brilliant “beetle” green plumage. The hens, which weigh 5 to 6 pounds, lay a light blue or gray egg and the males grow to between 6 and 7 pounds. Ducklings have black feet and bills, black down, and have an occasional trace of yellow on their breast.

Maddies Cayuga duckling....

1 Khaki Campbell...

Khaki’s are known for being one of the best general-purpose ducks. They are probably the best layers of all of the domestic ducks. They will have a mature weight of around 4-1/2 lbs. and their light plumage makes them easy to pick and nice for table use. The females are seal brown and the males the same with touches of darker brown and a resemblance to the drake mallard. Khaki Campbells are excellent foragers and withstand cool climates very well.