|
Ancona Ducks: A Rare Heritage Breed |
A critically endangered species. Great foragers, calm, fun.
|  |
| |
"I cannot even put into words how excited I am to hatch these ducks!"
-Ashley, Newberg, Oregon |
 |
Ancona
Ducks: A Great Pet
Help support
this rare breed. Ducks are a lot of fun.
Children and adults enjoy incubating eggs. Very educational and exciting.
Every duckling (and duck) looks different
so it is easy to identify each individual in your flock of birds.
The photo of the single Ancona duckling is from Alec in Dallas, Pennsylvania.
"These
are the cutest and prettiest ducklings I've had the pleasure of hatching
so thank you for your great service and your beautiful Ancona ducks."
-Ken, Spirit Lake, Idaho
"They Hatched! Five out of the six eggs hatched which is more than I thought
I would get. My Cochin chicken is being just the best mom. I am so happy. I thank
you for the great eggs and careful packaging. My wait is over and my joy is full.
I would like to thank you for all the good information on your web site about
these ducks. It has been a great help to me being a first time duck owner."
-Martha, Westminster, Maryland
|
 |
Help An Endangered Species
According
to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC): "There is a critical
need for more conservation breeders of Ancona ducks. Their excellent laying
ability, tasty meat, and calm dispositions make them a great addition to
any small farmstead or backyard producer's flock." Be part of the preservation
of an endangered species.
These 2 duckling photos are from Lynn Ann in Sellersville, Pennsylvania. She wrote: "We ended up hatching a total of 7 ducks. 4 that are a good split of black and yellow and 3 that are more yellow with splashes of color (2 look black and 1 looks brown). I love that since they are all so distinctly different, my girls were able to give them names."
The third photo is a 4-month-old male duck. Notice his curled tail that
only males have.
"I'd never thought of ducks for egg production, but am fascinated by the Ancona breed and definitely interested in helping to preserve genetics of the heritage breeds. We have a very large (25 acres) natural spring fed pond, so the ducks would be in heaven :^)" -Anne, Newport, Washington
"My
husband Brad and I came out to your farm and purchased duck eggs. Raising them
has been a sheer delight. Most evenings, rather than sitting around the TV, my
entire family will go down to the pond to watch the ducks. It has been awesome
witnessing their individual personalities develop.
As a group, they are fascinating!
They come when they are called. They love salad greens, and they prefer to be
close to people. They seem to take turns showing off for us either by running
away really fast and then running back, or by hopping and jumping. It is work
taking caring of them but nothing compared to the joy we get from keeping company
with the ducks!!" -Bry, Asheville, North Carolina
|
|
Fresh,
Fertilized Duck Eggs for You to Hatch
You can email
before ordering to see if I have them available. Or you can pay now, and
I will email you when I can ship your eggs.
"Eggs have arrived! Wonderful packaging, everyone safe and sound. I kind of feel like I'm having a 4th child. I was able to candle them and mark their air sacs, I had read a lot online about rolling air sacs, but they all seemed pretty stable, and I could clearly see the yolk. Much easier than my practice with refrigerated chicken eggs! I will let them rest today, and put them in the incubator in the morning. I am so excited. 28 days will seem like forever! Thanks again, and I will keep in touch." -Jill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The photo with the duckling under a mamma hen is from Cynthia at Elderflower
Farm in Talent, Oregon. Yes, chickens can hatch duck eggs!
A nice video of Ancona
duck eggs being put under a broody hen from Kristi in Bluffdale,
Utah. Her hen is a Silver Lace Wyandotte. At first the hen does not want
to be disturbed, then she sweetly tucks the eggs under her. The video is 2 minutes, 46 seconds. The end is the best.
|
|
Ducks Love Water!
They
don't have to have a pool, pond or stream but they are happier and healthier
with it. They love to bathe and splash water everywhere. They are fun to
watch.
The photo of the ducklings in the pink pool is from Roger in Sellersville, Pennsylvania.
The kiddie pool photo is from Tim and Jane in Kentucky. The ducks outside
the pool are 6 weeks old. The ducklings in the pool are 1 week old. They
did a good job of giving the ducklings a way out of the pool. Young ducklings
can drown if they get tired and can't get out.
"We would like to order some hatching eggs from your farm. We have been looking for chicks and ducks that weren't raised in a large factory facility and are heritage and are on some watch list and need help. So glad to come across your site!" -Chris & Chrissey, Greenfield Center, New York
"At least someone loves this rain! Still loving our goofballs. They have
made their own pond. Hard to even be mad that I had to search the woods
for an hour in the pouring rain to find them. We're building a fence. Ducks
are so great." -Jill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (It is Jill's puddle
photo. The ducks with white are Anconas.)
|
 |
Ducklings
Are Adorable
The
photo of the still-wet, just-hatched duckling with eggs, and the duckling
photo with pink in the background are from Roger in Sellersville, Pennsylvania.
Quicktime Movie:
Dominique
hen with ducklings. It is 2 seconds long. She hatched these eggs!
A chicken can hatch duck eggs. The movie is from Valerie in San Mateo, California.
A great 22 second video of Ancona
ducklings in a kiddie pool from Pam in Peculiar, Missouri.
"Thank you so much! I look forward
to receiving them, I'm
super excited they are very beautiful animals and will be a beautiful addition
to my farm!!" -Kyle, Sandpoint, Idaho
"The hatching eggs are here!!! *happy dance* so excited :) everything
looks wonderful, thank you so very much for the extra care. Much appreciated.
Will keep you updated as it goes on!" -Jessica, Glen Burnie, Maryland
"I got these for pets. My mom...I can tell she is looking forward to
the ones I don't want." -Jim, Forest Park, Illinois
"Hello! Just wanted to check in and let you know we are half way through
incubating, and 4 of the 5 eggs are doing fantastic! My kids and I are enjoying
seeing the little babes swimming around in the eggs. Thank you again!"
-Lauren, California
|
|
Friendly
and Cute
In this photo the Ancona duckling is about 1 week old.
The yellow later turns to white.
"I have 3 healthy ducklings. They are beautiful and perfect!" -Vicki, Durham, North Carolina
|
 |
Taking
Care of Ducks
Duck care is almost the same as taking care of chickens. I have my ducks
and chickens in the same coop. Ducks do not roost like chickens. They sleep on
the coop floor. This breed of duck does not fly.
Both eat the chicken layer feed. I add Brewers Yeast and Kelp
to the feed. The Brewers Yeast has vitamin B3 (Niacin) that ducks need higher
amounts of than chickens. Kelp has many trace minerals.
Both types of poultry like to eat
almost any kind of weeds or greens. They eat that in the pasture plus I
bring them comfrey leaves, weeds I pull out of the garden, and scraps from
my kitchen.
"Here is
an update on my fowl: 7 Anconas and 10 Dominiques. Lots of fun." -Jay,
Raphine, Virgina (The photo is from Jay.)
"I'm very
excited. I raised ducks when I was growing up, and it was such a joy! I
can't wait for my son to experience how lovable and funny ducks can be.
They're such characters.
I'm also excited to help support this rare breed. I was fascinated by all
the information on your website. I'm pleased the breed has done well in
Oregon. It can get cold and sometimes snow. I was happy to read this breed
enjoys playing in the snow.
We had great success with hatching out chickens
which was such a great experience for my son. He's a good little chicken
daddy, so I think he'll be just as good at rearing the ducklings!" -Dana,
Ashland, Oregon
|
Questions
People Ask
The photo to the right is Nancy with an adult male black
and white Ancona duck. I love his feet.
How old are your eggs when shipped?
They are very fresh. They were laid either the day I ship or the day before.
If you order a lot, some will be a little older while I collect them for
you. But they are always less than 1 week old. Duck eggs take 28 days to
hatch. You start counting the days when you put your eggs in your incubator,
not when the duck laid the egg.
How are they packaged for shipping?
Each egg is wrapped in a tissue, and placed in an egg carton. I wrap wide
scotch tape around the carton so it can not come open. I place packing material
around the carton, so it is held securely. It is unusual for eggs to be
broken. I have a stamp I place on all sides of the box that says: "Fragile,
Hatching Eggs. Winter: Do not let freeze. Summer: Keep out of sun."
"The eggs arrived today! They were packaged beautifully and not a single one was damaged. I will let them sit overnight and put them in the incubator tomorrow.
Thank you so much!" -Betsy, Indian Trail, North Carolina
"I received the duck eggs from the post office today in perfect condition! It was evident in the way you had them packed that you took meticulous care in wrapping them individually and the using additional packing material to ensure that they arrived safely!" -Ed, Iowa City, Iowa
Have your birds had any diseases?
My chickens are very healthy. They are free range. Besides feeding them
poultry layer food, I also feed them kelp, azomite, brewers yeast, sunflower
seeds and flax seed. I have had friends comment on how good my birds look.
Have other buyers had a good hatch rate?
People who have bought in the past are happy with their hatch rate. A lot
depends on the type of incubator you have, whether you have a turner (or
turn properly by hand), the humidity, temperature and overall attention
you give your eggs while incubating. I do enclose a flyer about incubating
eggs and brooding ducklings.
The duckling photo to the right is a 7-egg Brinsea incubator. The photo
is from Tim and Jane in Kentucky.
"Luckily
we found you!! We are very happy about your hatching eggs, the hatching
rate, the beautiful birds, and the outstanding customer service and support
you provide!! We truly appreciate it and would like to THANK YOU for that!"
-Anja, Bend Oregon
"Thanks. You are very dependable and efficient." -Jay, Raphine, Virginia
|
"Nancy,
wanted to let you know all eggs arrived safe and sound and are now in incubator."
-Fran, Maryland
"GREAT news!
We candled the eggs last night and ALL but 3 were fertile and growing!!!!! Wow!
We're so excited! We are patiently awaiting these sweet little ducklings! They're
all tucked into the incubator, warm and happy :) ...to be continued!" -Tamara,
Colorado
"All my Ancona ducklings hatched (all 18 of them). Thank you so much."
-Grace, Michigan
"I wanted to let you know our ducklings hatched, and they are so fun and are eating and drinking and splashing comics :). We had incubated 7 eggs and had 6 hatch into healthy ducklings. So‚ we are very happy with the success." -Brad, North Carolina
|
|
You can
hatch eggs with an incubator or even let a broody chicken or duck hatch
them for you! Ancona duck eggs take 28 days to hatch. Chicken eggs take
21 days to hatch.
"I am
putting my duck eggs under my banty chicken. She has hatched for me before
and is an excellent mother!" -Cynthia, Elderflower Farm, Talent, Oregon
A broody
female Ancona duck (hen) made this nest.
Below left to right: chicken egg, duck egg, goose egg.
 |
 |
 To
the left: 3 Ancona duck eggs in an RCom Pro Mini incubator. This photo is
from Kelli in Marble, North Carolina.
To the right: Ducklings starting to come out of the egg. You can see the
tip of the beak.
|
|
"I wanted to report that 6 of 7 green Ancona duck eggs hatched! I'm looking forward to the color gene project for the eggs! I will let
you know what I find out with the next generation layers." -Kristen,
Sharon, Massachusetts
|
 |
Just hatched
ducklings.
"I candled
the Ancona duck eggs today. Eight are veiny and air sacs are in the right
spot. Thank you for taking the care to package them so well. We are on day
8, wish me luck! I'll send you a cute photo when they hatch. My poor 3 year old is asking every day." -Felicity, Ruckersville, Virginia |
|
A 2-day-old Tri-Color Ancona duckling. |
 |
If you want friendly ducks, spend a lot of time with them when they hatch and
during the first few weeks. They will bond with you and follow you around. |
|
One-month
old Ancona ducklings around their water bowl.
At around 5 weeks you usually can hear the difference in the quack sound between males and females. |
 |
Lots of
older ducklings in a kiddie pool having fun. Their feathers are changing
from yellow to white.
Ancona ducks come in various colors mixed with white: black, chocolate,
blue, silver, lilac, lavender, and tricolor. Sometimes they have blue fawn,
dusky, fawn, mallard, pencilled or other colors. Solid white is possible.
Black and white is the most common. Chocolate and white is the second most
common. Lavender is a deep purple-gray. Lilac is a lighter lavender. Silver
is rare.
|
 |
If you
don't have a lake, pond or stream, you can still have ducks. Just get a
kiddie pool or similar container. They love it.
This drake (male duck) is having a great time. He is a Tri-Color Ancona
that is dusky. His duck friends are watching.
|
 |
This photo
is from Laura in Portland, Oregon. Yes, ducks and chickens can live together
happily.
|
 | Duck footprints
in the snow. Ducks like cold weather more than chickens do.
About
Ancona Ducks
|
 |
Chickens
and ducks can live together. They get along well with each other, especially
Ancona ducks because they are easy going.
"Our 7 ducks are doing great! They are just so super cute. They will be 7 weeks old this week and are doing great with our 8 hens." -Chris, Marietta, Georgia
|
Dave Holderread
is responsible for the comeback of the Ancona duck. He has been working
with them for 30 years in Oregon. He said:
"Anconas are well suited for situations where they can forage for some of
their food and are capable of eating large banana slugs. They make excellent
pond or yard ducks since they tend to stay close to home, do not fly under normal
conditions and are large enough so that they are less likely to be preyed upon
by winged predators. Typically they have moderately calm temperaments and make
fine pets."
More
About Ancona Ducks
|
 |
PayPal
Shopping Cart: You can pay with PayPal online using my shopping cart.
All products have buttons you can click to order this way. You do not have
to have a PayPal account to pay with your credit or debit card.
|
 |
 |
PayPal
Money Request by Email: I send a PayPal Money Request by email. You
pay online. Or you can send a PayPal payment from your PayPal account to
ncfarmgarden@gmail.com.
|
 |
Credit/Debit
Card Online using Email Invoice (No PayPal): If you want to pay by credit/debit
card but do not want to use PayPal, I can email you an invoice. In the email
there will be a link to take you to an online payment page. Use Visa, MasterCard,
Discover, JCB, or Diners Card. Email me what you want to buy.
|
I ship to everywhere in the United States. I do not ship outside the United
States.
  |
|