A Basic Guide to Raising Appleyard Ducks
Silver appleyard ducks are a species of domesticated duck that was developed in the 1940's by Reginald Appleyard. Appleyard ducklings are said to be one of the hardiest ducklings in the Bantam family, and once grown, the females make excellent natural and proxy mothers. Appleyard ducks are quite large at six to eight pounds at maturity, and have a sturdy frame. The males of this breed have green or yellow bills and auburn feathers at the breast, sides, and shoulders. Their underbelly is usually a shade of white or off-white and their tail-feathers are a bronzy color. Their wing feathers are quite interesting, as the majority of the feathers are gray except for a bright blue stripe at the tip of the wings.
The females differ slightly in appearance. While they too are sturdily built, their coloring is much milder than the male's. The appleyard hen has a yellow or orange bill and is mostly white all over with random markings in grey or brown. The females of this species also have the blue stripe at the tip of the wings.
What many people don't realize is that ducks from good bloodlines are usually more proficient egg layers than chickens! What does this mean to you? Well, if you are considering raising appleyard ducks, or any ducks for that matter, you could have an abundance of fresh duck eggs to dine on (and the appleyard is a heavy layer at over 220 eggs a year). Don't grimace! Many people mistakenly believe that duck eggs taste "stronger" or less desirable than chicken eggs, and this is simply not true in most cases. The flavor of the eggs--whether they are chicken or duck--depend on what the animal is fed. Even a chicken can produce funky tasting eggs if it is fed a poor diet. If your intent is to indeed "harvest" duck eggs, you should be sure that you don't feed your ducks marine-based feed, fish, or other rich foods similar in nature. Don't allow the ducks to eat from a pond or other water source, either. These foods will taint the flavor of the eggs.
It is important to bear in mind that ducks must receive a diet that contains about 15% crude protein if they are going to lay eggs all throughout the year. Feed that contains corn and greens usually contribute to brightly colored egg yolks, while feed containing oats, wheat, and barley usually produce soft colored yolks. Your appleyard ducks should never be without clean drinking water, regardless of whether you are using the ducks for egg production. Appleyards--and indeed all ducks--have a fondness for regularly cleaning their bills, eyes, and heads. They will do this in their drinking water, so it's important that you check on the water every other day or so to make sure that the water your ducks are drinking doesn't get too dirty. If you just have a few ducks, a gallon bucket will work nicely, but if you intend to raise quite a flock then you may want to look into five gallons or larger. Always keep the bucket out in the open where the ducks may reach it at any time.
If you simply want a duck to keep as a pet, you should know that appleyard ducks don't hold up well in single numbers. If you are particularly keen on having an appleyard, it is best that you have at least two or three at any given time. This not only socializes them properly, but it gives this breed the companionship it needs in order to live a happy life. This breed of duck is known for having a calm temperament, which is why they are so popular as pets. They will forage, but if they are well fed they usually won't go very far from home.
So whether you're looking to raise a handful of ducks or a large group, you really can't go wrong with the appleyard. It is one of the all-around best large duck breeds to raise in terms of temperament and egg-laying ability.