Aylesbury duck
The Aylesbury is the classic large white English table duck. It has a pink bill, a deep keel and a horizontal body. It is now mainly an exhibition breed and an RBST priority breed.
The Aylesbury is a pure-bred duck breed in the PCGB Heavy class. Its origin is given as Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. It appears on the RBST Watchlist as a priority breed, so keepers of pure stock help conserve it.
It is kept in heavy form. Recognised colours: White. Typical adult weights: drake about 5 kg and duck about 4.5 kg.
Expect roughly 40–120 eggs a year, with white/greenish shells. It is mainly kept for the table and for exhibition or as an ornamental bird.
Compiled from poultryclub.org, rbst.org.uk, domestic-waterfowl.co.uk, poultrykeeper.com, waterfowl.org.uk, en.wikipedia.org. See sources
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Identity
- Species
- Duck
- Type
- Pure breed
- PCGB class
- Heavy
- Origin
- Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
- Kept for
- Table, Exhibition or ornamental
History
From the 18th century, Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire became known for white ducks sent to London. They were valued both for meat and for white feathers to fill quilts. Ducklings were reared in townspeople's homes, and the railway's arrival in 1839 made the trade very profitable. The Pekin arrived in 1873 and was hardier and cheaper to rear, and the industry declined. The world wars finished off most of the commercial producers. Victorian shows, starting with the London Zoological Gardens show of 1845, pushed breeding toward the big keel and long pink bill.
Appearance
Pure white with a pink bill, orange legs and a large keel, and a body held level with the ground. BWA gives drakes about 4.5–5.4 kg and ducks about 4.1–5.0 kg.
Recognised colours
White
Size and weight
- Forms
- Heavy
- Drake
- 5 kg
- Duck
- 4.5 kg
Eggs
- Eggs a year
- 40–120
- Egg colour
- White/greenish
- Notes
- A poor layer. BWA gives only about 80–100 eggs a year.
Temperament
- Keeping notes
- A big, heavy duck that suits keepers with space and clean water.
Hardiness
Not recorded yet.
Broodiness
Not recorded yet.
Flying
Not recorded yet.
Suitability
- Good to know
- Many white 'Aylesburys' are really commercial table hybrids. Exhibition birds have the pink bill and pronounced keel.
Conservation status (RBST)
A priority breed on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust Watchlist.
Breed club
Sources
This page is compiled from:
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