Bantam Ducks
If space is limited in your yard, think bantam ducks — one-fifth to one-third the size of standard ducks. “Large” for a bantam is less than 2½ pounds.
All are beautifully ornamental and make sweet, sassy pets. If you like to competitively show, American Poultry Association recognizes three bantam breeds: Calls, East Indies and mallards. American Bantam Association adds Carolina Wood Ducks. Unrecognized breeds include Australian spotted ducks, silkies and silver appleyard bantams. Check them out!
australian spotted duck
origin: United States
colors/varieties: Greenhead, bluehead, silverhead; weighs 32 to 34 oz.
eggs: Lays 50 to 125 small or medium-size cream, blue or green eggs per year; very broody
traits: Strong flier; docile, friendly, a great forager, ideal for insect control
call
origin: Holland
colors/varieties: many; weighs 20 to 26 oz.
eggs: Lays 20 to 50 small white eggs; nonbroody
traits: Can fly but not very far; females quack loudly and often, making the breed not good for people with close neighbors
carolina Wood duck
origin: United States
colors/varieties: Brown with white markings most of the year, but males assume colorful plumage during breeding season; weighs 23 to 25 oz.
eggs: Lays 6 to 16 small off-white eggs; broody
traits: Strong flier; claws on feet allow wood ducks to perch, selfreliant, a popular ornamental duck
east indie, also called black east indie
origin: United States
colors/varieties: Black with a green sheen; weighs 24 to 30 oz.
eggs: Lays 30 to 80 small eggs that have dark gray shells early in the laying season, fading to white or green-tinted as the season progresses; nonbroody
traits: Strong flier; very active, hardy, popular pet
Mallard
origin: domesticated in antiquity
colors/varieties: Gray and snowy wild mallard coloration; weighs 36 to 40 oz.
eggs: Lays 20 to 50 small to medium white to bluish-tinted eggs; broody
traits: Strong flier; hardy, self-reliant, an excellent forager
silkie
origin: United States
colors/varieties: Black, white, dusky, snowy, gray, more; weighs 30 to 38 oz.
eggs: Lays variable number of small off-white to greenish-tinted eggs; broody
traits: Nonflier; unusual silky plumage, tame and friendly
silver appleyard bantam
origin: England
colors/varieties: modified mallard (colored like full-size silver appleyard); weighs 30 to 36 oz.
eggs: Lays 50 to 80 small white eggs; broody, outstanding mother
traits: Can fly but not far; tame and friendly