Duck Breed Comparison Table
Use this table of duck breeds to compare all the different types of ducks for sale at Metzer Farms. This data comes from our experience on the farm, feedback from customers, and information gathered from researchers. With so many breeds offered at Metzer Farms, we want you to make the most informed choice. Depending if you want a duck specifically for egg or meat production, foraging, show, a pet, or one of the many other reasons people raise ducks, this will help you find the best duck breed for you.
Today most domesticated types of ducks originate from the wild Mallard and a few from the Muscovy. Ducks were domesticated in Asia, but now there are many different duck breeds developed for all different climates and applications.
Due to all our domesticated ducks originating from the mallard, any one of the breeds we sell can produce fertile progeny if they cross with any other breed. Ducks will fully integrate with all the other breeds we offer. Therefore, if you want purebred ducklings hatching from your ducks, you need to keep the breeds separate during the breeding season. Or you can let them cross and see what different shapes and colors you will get in their ducklings. What will you get if you cross a Mallard with a Fawn & White Runner, or a Cayuga and a Pekin, or a Khaki Campbell with a White Layer?
| Breed | Temperament (1) | Weight (2) | Egg Prod. (3) | Mothering | Bluish Eggs | Egg Size (4) | Fertility (5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Swedish | 2.3 | 5 - 6.25 # | 130 - 180 /yr. | Fair | 20 % | 80 - 90 grams | 85 % |
| Black Runner | 3.5 | 3.25 - 4 # | 100 - 180 /yr. | Poor - Fair | 70 % | 65 - 80 grams | 84 % |
| Blue Runner | 4.0 | 3.25 - 4 # | 100 - 180 /yr. | Poor - Fair | 70 % | 65 - 80 grams | 84 % |
| Blue Swedish | 3.0 | 5 - 6.25 # | 120 - 180 /yr. | Fair | Less Than 5 % | 80 - 95 grams | 85 % |
| Buff | 3.0 | 5 - 6.25 # | 130 - 180 /yr. | Fair | 20 % | 80 - 90 grams | 85 % |
| Cayuga | 8.8 | 4.75 - 6 # | 130 - 180 /yr. | Fair | Less Than 2 % | 75 - 90 grams | 83 % |
| Chocolate Runner | 4.3 | 3.25 - 4 # | 100 - 180 /yr. | Poor - Fair | 75 % | 65 - 80 grams | 86 % |
| Fawn and White Runner | 7.5 | 3.25 - 4 # | 100 - 180 /yr. | Poor - Fair | 35 % | 65 - 80 grams | 86 % |
| Jumbo Pekin | 5.5 | 9 - 13.5 # | 140 - 175 /yr. | Poor | Less Than 2 % | 90 - 100 grams | 85 % |
| Golden 300 Hybrid Layer | 7.7 | 4.5 - 5.75 # | 200 - 290 /yr. | Fair | 5 % | 75 - 90 grams | 93 % |
| Grimaud Hybrid Pekin | 5.5 | 8 - 12.25 # | 150 - 200 /yr. | Poor | Less Than 2 % | 90 - 100 grams | 89 % |
| Khaki Campbell | 9.0 | 3.5 - 4.5 # | 165 - 240 /yr. | Good | Less Than 5 % | 75 - 85 grams | 87 % |
| Mallard | 5.0 | 2.25 - 2.5 # | 60 -120 /yr. | Very Good | 70 % | 65 - 75 grams | 90 % |
| Pekin | 5.5 | 8 - 12.25 # | 150 - 200 /yr. | Poor | Less Than 2 % | 90 - 100 grams | 89 % |
| Rouen | 4.5 | 5 - 7.25 # | 140 - 180 /yr. | Good | 35 % | 80 - 95 grams | 87 % |
| Saxony | 1.0 | 6.5-8.5# | 110 - 175 /yr. | Average | 2 - 4 % | 80 - 90 grams | 85 % |
| Silver Appleyard | 1.2 | 7-9# | 120 - 175 /yr. | Very Good | 0 - 1 % | 85 - 95 grams | 85 % |
| Welsh Harlequin | 1.3 | 4.5 - 5.5 # | 100 - 150 /yr. | Good | Less Than 2 % | 75 -85 grams | 75 % |
| White Crested | 9.0 | 6 - 7.25 # | 100 - 130 /yr. | Poor - Fair | Less Than 2 % | 80 - 90 grams | 83 % |
| White Layer | 6.7 | 4.5 - 5.75 # | 200 - 290 /yr. | Fair | 1-2 % | 75 - 90 grams | 93 % |
| Breed | APA Class | Foraging Ability | Conservation Status (6) |
Our Show Quality (7) | Flying Ability | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Swedish | Medium | Good | Watch | Average | None | Germany |
| Black Runner | Light | Very Good | Recovering | Average | None | Indonesia |
| Blue Runner | Light | Very Good | Recovering | Average | None | Indonesia |
| Blue Swedish | Medium | Good | Watch | Average | None | Germany |
| Buff | Medium | Good | Threatened | Average | None | England |
| Cayuga | Medium | Good | Watch | Excellent Color, Good Type | None | USA |
| Chocolate Runner | Light | Very Good | Recovering | Average | None | Indonesia |
| Fawn and White Runner | Light | Very Good | Recovering | Average | None | Indonesia |
| Jumbo Pekin | Heavy | Fair | Abundant | Good for Meat Classes | None | China |
| Golden 300 Hybrid Layer | N/A | Good | No Rank | Not Shown | None | Metzer Farms |
| Grimaud Hybrid Pekin | Heavy | Fair | No Rank | Meat Class Only | None | France |
| Khaki Campbell | Light | Very Good | Watch | Fairly Good Type | Maybe | England |
| Mallard | Bantam | Very Good | Abundant | Too "Chunky" | Very Good | Native to North America |
| Pekin | Heavy | Fair | Abundant | Meat Class Only | None | China |
| Rouen | Heavy | Good | Plenty | Not For Exhibition | Maybe | France |
| Saxony | Heavy | Good | Threatened | Very Good | None | Germany |
| Silver Appleyard | Heavy | Very Good | Threatened | Very Good | None | England |
| Welsh Harlequin | Light | Good | Watch | Above Average | None | Wales |
| White Crested | Medium | Fair | No Rank | Excellent | None | Holland |
| White Layer | N/A | Good | No Rank | Not For Exhibition | None | Metzer Farms |
(1) 1.0 indicates a Very Calm breed and 9.0 indicates a More Nervous breed. Average scores by Metzer Farms employees who care for the ducks.
(2) These are the weights of our breeders during lay. For maximum egg production, their weight has been controlled.
(3) The lower numbers are if no artificial lights are used, the upper numbers are if artificial lights are used to maintain 17 hours of light during lay.
(4) One ounce = 28.5 grams
(5) This is the average fertility we get from our breeders during an entire season of lay (35-45 weeks of lay).
(6) The Livestock Conservancy ranks most poultry breeds on how rare they are.
For more information, visit The Livestock Conservatory.
(7) Summary of comments from waterfowl judges that have visited our farm.
Pekins are the most popular type of duck in North America for Commercial Meat Duck Production. Breeding stock from France is imported to give our customers the most efficient, meaty and profitable duck. Pekins are the fastest growing breed and dress very well after processing because of their white feathers. These birds are successfully used by some of our customers for pasture grown ducks. They are not bred for this type of growing, but do well due to the natural hardiness and disease resistance of all ducks.
Khaki Campbells are commonly known for their exceptional egg laying capability. The Golden 300 and White Layer are two breeds developed here at Metzer Farms to maximize duck egg production. With proper care and management, these ducks will outperform the better known Pekins, Khaki Campbells, Runners or Welsh Harlequin. The Golden 300 and White Layer ducks are ideal if you are looking to meet a growing market for fresh duck eggs. There is also a steady demand for balut or salted eggs in most local Asian markets.
Metzer Farms is a proud board member and sponsor of The Livestock Conservatory. We actively participate in the preservation of rare heritage duck breeds and encourage others to help increase the population of many of the endangered domestic duck breeds. You can find a list of all officially recognized breeds by the American Poultry Association (APA), the Poultry Club of Great Britain (PCGB), and The Australian Poultry Standards.
