Ancona Duck: Behaviour And Breed Guide
The resilient and mottled Ancona ducks have a good amount of demand in the country.
Among many reasons to love them are they are calm, can lay a huge number of eggs per year, normally remains healthy, and their meat is delicious.
Our guide is here to help you learn more about this breed so that you can raise them without any problem. For this reason, we’ll tell you about their nature, nutrition needs, and the cost of raising them.
Ancona Duck Profile
| Name | Ancona Duck (English) |
|---|---|
| Eggs | 210-280 per year |
| Origin | USA |
| Special Feature | Hardy and resilient |
| Weight | Drake: 6-6.5 pounds, Duck: 5-5.5 pounds |
| Lifespan | Around 10 years |
| Flying Ability | No |
| Personality | Friendly and calm |
| Maintenance | Low |
Want to learn more about ducks breed:
History of the Ancona Duck Breed
First, it was thought that the Ancona ducks originated from Britain. However, thanks to the revelation of new evidence, it’s now confirmed that the duck breed originated in the USA.
W. J. Wirt of Ridge View Farms in Knowlesville, New York, developed the breed by cross-breeding numerous standard duck breeds present at that time.
Even the American Livestock Conservancy has officially recognized the Ancona duck as a breed born in the USA. However, it’s not officially recognized by the American Poultry Association. That means you can’t use them for an exhibition.
General Characteristics and Physical Attributes
Ancona ducks are hardy and come with the ability to adapt easily. That’s why they find it easy to adjust to any environment and even harsh ones.
You can recognize them by their medium-sized oval head, arched neck, and slightly concave bill. But what truly makes them stand out is their broken, mottled plumage which can be found in various color combinations.
The color combinations can be black-white, silver-white, chocolate-white, lavender-white, and tricolored.
And the chocolate color, however, means something. It indicates a special gene named ‘sex-linked recessive’. This gene can affect the color of the baby.
They can be really good pets thanks to their well-behaved nature and the tendency to stay close to home. And since they don’t fly in normal situations, you can let them roam around in the garden.
Also, their flavourful meat and excellent egg-producing ability make them worthy of a natural addition to any small farm.
Ancona Duck Temperament and Behavior
Find out about its behavior here:
Resilient
They’re a resilient lot and can survive in tough conditions. In fact, they are the most resilient duck breed in the entire USA. So, farm owners love them as they are less likely to die due to environmental issues.
Average Forager
They like to forage but are always reluctant to go far from the coop. Also, they make a sound like a squeaking hinge while foraging.
Calm Nature
They are pretty cool all the time and can bond well with humans. Loud sounds do not perturb them, unlike some other breeds.
Season Change Isn’t an Issue
They do well in both summer and winter and won’t cause any problems. But make sure they have access to fresh water to cool off.
Ancona Duck Eggs
The female ducks can lay 210-280 eggs per year, and the eggs weigh around 70 grams per egg. An interesting thing is these eggs can come in a variety of colors, such as cream and white.
If your goal is to commercially produce more Ancona ducks, then you’ll need to get an incubator. Because these ones dislike sitting on their ducks. It won’t be possible to get many ducks by going the natural way.
They normally lay eggs during the daytime, so you can collect their eggs before they get trampled by them.
During the first 3 years, they produce the most eggs, but the ability to produce a good amount of ducks remains for 5-6 years. And as they grow old, their eggs keep getting bigger. Maybe it’s compensation for the lower number of eggs.
Ancona Duck Meat
The meat of Ancona ducks tastes good and is quite popular among consumers. It’s not as fatty as the American Pekin ducks.
They also grow quickly and reach the weight of butchering within 8 weeks. That’s why farms raise them for meat, as they yield greater profit than most other breeds.
Challenges of Raising Ancona Ducks
Health-wise, they won’t trouble you much. They have a strong immune system and can handle minor diseases well.
But you must keep them close to a freshwater source like a pond so that they can clean themselves regularly. Otherwise, lack of water will lead to wet feather conditions and open the door for other diseases.
These ducks struggle when placed in a crowded space. So, you’ll need to ensure a good amount of space for them as well. Apart from these, I don’t see any other major challenges for you.
What Does an Ancona Duck Eat?
We’ll go through the diet of the duck breed here:
Foraged Food
Ancona ducks are foragers and can find a significant portion of their food by themselves. They will search for insects, worms, tadpoles, and frogs around the coop.
And this practice is developed from the very early days. Since they don’t move away much from the coop, you can use a chicken tractor to get them to new spaces and find food.
Plants
If you can place aquatic plants in the pond or any other water source where they have access, that would add to the natural food source and make the diet diverse.
Bird Feed
You can give them chicken feed or game feed. Since foraging is limited in winter, bird feed helps to get protein from it.
How Expensive Is Ancona?
Buying the ducklings can seem a bit expensive as you’ll need to fork out 8-15 USD per piece. And if you want to buy a sexually mature duck, then you’ll have to spend more than 100 USD to buy one.
But once you have bought them, it’s not expensive to take care of them. On average, owners spend around 100 USD per duck in a year on food and other stuff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can you buy Ancona ducks?
It’s quite easy to buy Ancona ducks online. There are many reliable sites like Cackle Hatchery and Vitoria Farms from where you can buy both ducks and ducklings at a good price.
Can Ancona ducks fly?
They’re able to flap their wings and lift their body a bit, but they can’t fly. And that makes it easier for backyard duck enthusiasts to control them. Though you don’t need fencing to prevent them from getting away, it’s important to take some precautions to protect them against predators.
How popular are Ancona ducks?
The popularity of Ancona ducks is rising continuously. They’re already very popular among backyard poultry folks due to their calm and lovely nature. Farmers also prefer the breed as they grow quickly and taste good.
Conclusion
The Ancona duck breed originates from the USA, and once again, it’s proven that America produces the very best. It produces a good amount of eggs, the meat is great, and the maintenance is low-cost.
So, naturally, it’s on the purchase list of every small duck meat farmer and backyard duck folk. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to learn about different duck breeds.
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- Canva.com/photos
- https://www.facebook.com/thefarmfrom1905
- https://www.facebook.com/bigspoonhomestead
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