Rouen duck
The Rouen is a massive, Mallard-coloured heavy duck. It was originally a French farm table bird and is now mostly an exhibition breed. The exhibition Rouen is on the RBST watchlist.
The Rouen is a pure-bred duck breed in the PCGB Heavy class. Its origin is given as Rouen, France. 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: Wild Colour, Blue, Apricot. Typical adult weights: drake about 4.5–5.4 kg and duck about 4.1–5 kg.
Expect roughly 60–150 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
- Rouen, France
- Kept for
- Table, Exhibition or ornamental
History
The breed is old and comes from farms around Rouen. English breeders made it darker and much bigger for showing. It was one of three ducks in the first British standard of 1865, alongside the Aylesbury and East Indian. America admitted it in 1874.
Appearance
Plumage like a Mallard's. Drakes have a green head, white collar, claret breast and grey body. Ducks are mahogany brown with dark pencilling. BWA says birds take two years to reach their full weight of nearly 6 kg. Blue and Apricot are also standardised.
Recognised colours
Wild Colour, Blue, Apricot
Size and weight
- Forms
- Heavy
- Drake
- 4.5–5.4 kg
- Duck
- 4.1–5 kg
Eggs
- Eggs a year
- 60–150
- Egg colour
- White/greenish
- Notes
- Not a prolific layer, which is why it is mainly bred for meat and showing.
Temperament
- Keeping notes
- Its slow growth makes it impractical as a commercial table bird.
Hardiness
Not recorded yet.
Broodiness
Not recorded yet.
Flying
Not recorded yet.
Suitability
- Good to know
- The Rouen Clair is a separate, lighter breed.
Conservation status (RBST)
A priority breed on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust Watchlist, listed as Rouen (Exhibition).
Breed club
Sources
This page is compiled from:
Review
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