Heavy Ducks
Aylesbury, Blue Swedish, Cayuga, Rouen, Silver Appleyard, Saxony
'Heavy Ducks' are those which generally weigh over 7lbs in the
female and 8lbs in the drake. The largest of the heavy breeds are
the traditional English Aylesbury and the Rouen. Drakes can weigh up
to 12 lbs and ducks 9-11 lbs.
In general, 'heavies' are the old-established breeds, which were
developed for the table. The Cayuga was the table bird of the USA
before the Chinese Pekin was imported in 1874. The Pekin
revolutionised the table duck industry both in the USA and in the UK
where it began to replace the pink-billed commercial Aylesbury.
The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) is also classified as a Heavy
'Duck'. It is, in fact, a different species from all the other
breeds (which were all developed from the mallard). The Muscovy is
indigenous to South America but rapidly spread worldwide after the
discovery of the Indies by Columbus. It became known under several
labels including Cairo, Barbary and Muscovy .
The Aylesbury (top right): This is the British breed of heavy duck also
designed, like the Rouen, for the table. It takes its name from the
town of Aylesbury in the valley of the Thame, a tributary of the
Thames. The white duck was reared there by the thousands in the
1700s and 1800s before a more intensive table duck industry was set
set up using Pekin cross breeds. The original table Aylesbury did
not have a deep keel. This became a feature of the exhibition strain
in the late 1800s. Weights are the same as for the Rouen.
Blue Swedish: Blue ducks were known in Britain in the mid 1800s, but
were probably more common in Europe where they were known as the
Pommern and Swedish. Standardized in the USA in 1904, the Swedish
was standardized in the UK only in 1982. Blue is an unstable colour
in both ducks and Poultry. It is an 'impure' (heterozygous) form
where the bird carries alleles for blue, not-blue and black. Such
birds therefore produce, Blue Swedish, Black Swedish and pale blue
Swedish. Blues cannot breed true to colour.
The Cayuga: Black ducks in good condition are arguably the most
striking of the coloured breeds. In sunlight, exhibition specimens
have a fantastic green sheen. Originating in the USA possibly as
early as 1809, they took their name from Lake Cayuga in the
1850s.Drakes weigh 8lbs, and ducks 7lbs. Their eggs are greenish-
black. As with all black birds (Black Runner and Black East Indian)
the females tend to go white with age, but the drakes retain their
colour.
The Pekin: The standard Pekin in the UK is the 'German' upright
type, not the American flat, white duck which is probably an
Aylesbury/Pekin cross, designed for the table. The plumage should
have a yellow tinge - essential for exhibition. This colour is
enhanced by a bird having recently grown new, oily feathers, or by
diet.
Silver Appleyard ducks and drakes
Article on
Appleyard face markings
