Abacot Ranger Duck: Behavior, Habitat And More
The beautiful-looking peaceful Abacot ranger breed has a colorful history that can outshine even its colorful feathers. But not only its origin history but the duck breed itself is quite interesting.
So, we have a lot to talk about today. We’ll learn how the breed was created, what are its behavior patterns, what foods it likes, and what challenges you might face if you decide to raise them.
If this interest you, continue to read.
Abacot Ranger Profile
| Number of Eggs | 180-200 a year |
| Easy to Keep? | Yes |
| Lifespan | 10+ years |
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
| Weight | Drake: Around 2.5kg, Duck:2-2.3kg |
| Classifications | Light |
| Uses | Eggs and meat |
Want to learn more about ducks breed:
History of the Abacot Ranger Duck Breed
You can trace the origin of the bird to the small city called Colchester. Here, in the early 20th century, a bird lover named Mr. Oscar Gray created a new duck breed from Runners and Khaki Campbells.
He called the new breed Hooded Ranger.
Later, the duck found its way into Germany. In Germany, H. Lieker, a bird specialist, took upon the task of stabilizing the color form of this breed.
So, the name got changed to Liekers Streifere. In 1934, the duck breed got its official standardized name finally, ‘Streicher-Ente’ (Ranger Duck).
The Poultry Club and the BWA later standardized it and named it Abacot Ranger. So, the credit for the breed’s survival and the written standard goes to the efforts taken to preserve the breed in Germany.
General Characteristics of Abacot Ranger
Known as light ducks, these mid-sized waterfowls are great for action. They’re always active and have a great love for foraging.
If you go and check the waterfowl standard, you’ll find the term ‘alert and busy’ for this breed. And I think the term explains their nature perfectly as they are always doing something.
Let’s put the focus on their body. It’s quite long and the ducks move the long body in style. When they carry it, they do it 45 degrees from the horizontal.
Flying isn’t the strongest forte of the Abacot Ranger, as it can’t fly long distances. However, they are well adapted to using their wings to escape any predator fast.
Abacot Ranger Drakes
The weight of the Abacot drake is usually around 2.5 kg. But its specialty lies in its many colors. The head is black, but when the sunlight falls on it, you will get a glimpse of the beautiful green luster.
Then there’s this stylish white ring encircling the entire neck area, separating it from the rest of the body. The bill also looks nice and is of olive-green color.
Abacot Ranger Ducks
Naturally, the female ducks are a bit lighter than the drakes and weigh 2-2.3k kg normally.
The fawn-colored head of these ducks is very impressive aesthetically. It also helps to distinguish between old and young ducks, as the color is the darkest in young ones, while it fades as they grow older.
In fact, once they are 4 years old, all the colors might be gone and it can become completely white.
Also, if you look a bit carefully, you’ll see that there’s a clear line that distinguishes the fawn-colored head from the body. It gives them a unique look.
The bill is of green color, which often features a shade of green. It’s one of the most striking parts of these ladies is their body pattern.
The creamy white, with brown streaks of many different shades. It’s a piece of art and I find it difficult to explain its beauty with words.
When it comes to the feathers, there’s no difference, as both are pretty much the same. And the legs of these ducks are grey.
Abacot Ranger Duck Temperament and Behavior
Will their behavior suit you? Find out here –
Peaceful
Though very active, they are a peaceful breed and have strong social skills. They can easily warm up to the host and also visitors. It’s easy to tame them and make them ready for exhibitions if needed.
Not a Flyer
They don’t like to fly much. So, the garden would be a comfortable area for them. You would need to put strong fencing in place to protect them from predators.
Good Forager
They will pretty much eat anything, and that helps to save you money on food expenses.
Prefer Extra Space
If you give them additional space, they will keep themselves busy with various tasks all day. You won’t even need to keep an eye on them as they will never fly away.
Abacot Ranger Duck Eggs
You can get a sense of how good they are as egg layers as they are compared with Harlequins and Khaki Campbells for their excellent egg laying.
And you are sure to be impressed with the stats, as these ducks can produce 180-200 high-quality eggs in a year. And each of them will weigh about 6-70 grams, which is pretty big, especially if you compare it with other breeds.
They are also very careful while sitting on their eggs. Unlike some other breeds, they don’t crush their eggs. They are also very reliable when it comes to hatching their own eggs and rarely cause any issues.
Abacot Ranger Meat Quality
The uncanny resemblance with the Khaki Campbell won’t go unnoticed by many people. But when it comes to being used as food, Abacot Rangers is certainly preferable due to its large beak.
Matured ducks usually provide a lot of meat. But are they tasty? Of course, they are, and if made by a good cook, they can be tender, full of flavor, and a delicious dinner.
That said, it’s similar to the taste of other duck-breed meat. I didn’t find anything that makes its meat stand out from others.
Popularity of Abacot Ranger
When the breed was introduced, it became very popular in Britain due to its high-quality eggs and meat.
But gradually, it lost popularity and found its space in Germany. It eventually returned to Britain in the 1970s and has remained available in the country since.
The British Waterfowl Standard registered the breed in 1983.
The popularity of the breed in current times isn’t great. That’s because, despite its beauty, it’s mid in almost every other aspect. Its meat quality is good, but not the best.
And it’s also a good egg layer, but certainly not the best. That’s why it’s difficult for the breed to find many takers.
The Benefits of Raising Abacot Ranger Ducks
Here are the benefits of raising this breed of ducks:
Friendly
For families, it’s the perfect option as the breed is very friendly and can be loving towards the hosts. On top of that, its excellent behavior towards visitors makes it the ideal breed to keep at home.
Healthy
These ducks are known to be healthy and remain disease-free for most of their life. That means that they have a strong immune system capable of protecting them against viruses and bacteria.
Easy Maintenance
They don’t require constant attention and can take care of themselves. So, it’s really easy to take care of them.
Egg Producing Breed
As they produce a huge number of eggs, it’s certainly profitable to have them in your house.
Foragers
As they are foragers and can find food for themselves, you don’t need to spend much money on their food.
Space
They are mid-sized and don’t need huge space to stay. Also, they can adapt to any climate easily, be it hot or cold. So, you can skip installing additional tools to make them comfortable.
Looks
That’s the first thing anyone notices; the look. And it’s beautiful. It’s impossible not to love its intricate color patterns. So, you have beauty at your hand if you have this breed in your garden.
Challenges of Raising Abacot Ranger Ducks
Yes, there are some challenges to raising the Abacot Rangers.
One of the biggest problems is finding ducklings to purchase. It’s exactly a popular breed, so many people are not into raising ducks. That’s why a lot of effort goes into finding sellers.
Another big issue is it’s not recognized by the American Poultry Association. So, you can’t exhibit these ducks. However, you can participate with them in an exhibition in the UK.
Which Type of Habitat Is the Best for Abacot Ranger Ducks?
Just like any other ducks, give them a body of water, some grass, and space to forage and they will be extremely happy.
As long as their habitat include water to bathe in and space to look for food, you won’t face any issue.
Where to Buy Abacot Ranger Ducks?
It’s very difficult to find sellers in the USA. You may have to look for individuals selling ducklings online.
However, I’d suggest that you go for international sellers like Ashton Waterfowl or Avicoli Ornamental. That will be an easier option than finding individuals online.
What Does an Abacot Ranger Duck Eat?
When we adopt ducks, it’s natural to feel the need to give them the best food.
So, is there any special food for the Abacot ranger Duck that you can provide them with?
No, there’s no such special food that you can offer them as they forage and find food for themselves.
Natural Food
Abacot Rangers are happy with natural foods for them, like worms, grubs, and orchid plants. But they can manage themselves and you don’t need to provide these for them.
Commercial Food
It’s not a requirement, but if you want, you can buy them Zucchini, peas, non-citrus fruits, and duck pellets.
Other Similar Ducks
Here are some ducks that are like Abacot rangers. All of them are light and good at producing eggs.
Conclusion
The interesting origin story of the Abacot Rangers can generate some interest among people. And the general characteristics of the breed should also encourage one to get them for your garden.
After all, they are very peaceful, friendly, and aesthetically attractive. And if you need them for eggs and meat, they are not bad either.
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References:
- https://www.rbst.org.uk/Abacot-ranger
- https://ashtonwaterfowl.net/light_ducks.htm
Image Credits:
- Youtube.com/ (Lovely birds and animals)
- Youtube.com/ (farmingplan9136)
- Canva.com/photos
