Domestic duck
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Domesticated ducks are ducks that are raised for meat, eggs and down. Many ducks are also kept for show, as pets or for their ornamental value. Almost all of the varieties of domesticated ducks are descended from the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), apart from the Muscovy Duck[1][2].
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[edit] Breeds
There are many existing breeds with more being created today. Most domesticated breeds are descendants from the wild Mallard with exception of the Muscovy. Breeds are sorted into size classes. Below are breeds accepted by the American Poultry Association.
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[edit] Farming
Ducks have been farmed for hundreds of years, possibly starting in Southeast Asia.[3] They are not as popular as the chicken, because chickens have much more white lean meat and are easier to keep confined. Nevertheless, the duck is a popular and well known farm bird.
Ducks are farmed for their meat, eggs, and down. In Vietnam their blood is used in a food called tiết canh. Their eggs are blue-green to white depending on the breed.
Ducks can be kept free range, in cages, or in batteries. To be healthy, ducks should be allowed access to water, though battery ducks are often denied this. They should be fed a grain and insect diet. It is a popular misconception that ducks should be fed bread; bread has limited nutritional value and can be deadly when fed to developing ducklings. Ducks should be monitored for avian influenza, as they are especially prone to infection with the dangerous H5N1 strain.
The females of most breeds of domestic duck are very unreliable at sitting their eggs and raising their young, and it has been the custom on farms for centuries to put duck eggs under a broody hen for hatching; nowadays incubators are usually used. However, young ducklings rely on their mother for a supply of preen oil to make them waterproof, and a hen does not make as much preen oil as a duck; and an incubator makes none.
[edit] As pets and ornamentals
Domesticated ducks can be kept as pets. They can be kept in a garden or backyard, and with special accessories, have also been known to be kept in the house as a pet. They will often eat insects and slugs. A pond or water dish is recommended although they will probably dredge out and eat any wildlife and frogspawn in a pond, and even swallow adult frogs and toads, as they have been bred to be much bigger than wild ducks with a "hull length" (base of neck to base of tail) of up to a foot or more. A coop should be provided for shelter from predators such as foxes, hawks, coyotes, and racoons, as their size makes them unable to fly properly.
Ducks are also kept for their ornamental value. Breeds have been developed with crests and tufts or striking plumage. Shows are held in which ducks can be displayed.
[edit] See also
- Poultry
- American Poultry Association
- Indian Runner Duck
- Ways of cooking duck:
[edit] Gallery
 Domesticated ducklings |
 A domesticated muscovy duck in a Serbian village |
 White Crested Duck |
 A domesticated duck |
 Some domesticated ducks |
.jpg/120px-Domesticated_Duck_in_Water_(Xytram).jpg) A domesticated duck, and its reflection in water |
