Ancona Duck Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Ancona is one of my favorite breeds of duck. They have beautiful white feathers splashed with various black patterns on them. There are no two ducks that have the exact same markings. Their coloring has been likened to that of the Holstein cattle as there are no set patterns or design to their markings.

They are a great dual-purpose breed that lay a large number of largely white, cream or blue eggs. They also have a very good quality of delicious lean meat. They have a very calm and friendly temperament are great foragers and make excellent pets. They are great for first-time duck owners.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Country of Origin:	England/America – the origins are unclear
American Poultry Association:	Not Recognized by the American Poultry Association
Duck Category:	Medium
Duck Class:	Unclassified
Colors:	White with black spots/splotches
Good starter duck?	Yes
You may Also Like:	TOP 10 GOOD STARTER DUCK BREEDS
Bantam Variety Available?	No
You may Also Like:	10 BEST BANTAM DUCK BREEDS

APPEARANCE / IDENTIFICATION

DUCK BITS

DESCRIPTION

COLOR

EYES⇒

Black

BILL⇒

Medium

Mottled Yellow

*Black bean tipped

CRESTED?

LEGS⇒

Medium Same for M & f

Yellow/Mottled Yellow

Positioned proportionally apart to the width of their body

FEET⇒

Same for M & F

Yellow/Mottled Yellow

The spots on the feet increase with the duck’s age

WINGS⇒

Same for M & F

May have black markings

White with mottled black markings that can sometimes cover the entire wing

FEATHERS⇒

Same for M & F

White with Black Markings

Both M & F have white feathers with black spots/splotches or mottled marking

SKIN COLOR⇒

White/Yellowish

Depends on what they are fed

AVERAGE WEIGHT⇒

Adult Female:	8 lbs.
Adult Male:	7 lbs.
Mature:	**8 lbs. @ 8 weeks old

*Bean: This is also called the nail. It is a small round bump found at the end of the duck’s bill. It is used for defence and to catch insects. It is almost like a fingernail and is damaged can grow back. It can also get overgrown much like fingernails if they do not have something to grind it down on.

** Note: This is an average weight for the male duck and not a guaranteed weight

USE/PURPOSE

Females/Hens

⇒

Dual purpose bird even though it is not a heavy breed it can still be used for its meat. Ancona ducks tend to have a tasty high quality of meat.

Eggs⇒
	Color:	White
	Qty/Yr:	280
	Size:	XL to Jumbo
	They will start to try hatch eggs from their first lay
	Start to lay around 25 to 30 weeks old. They lay consistently through the year
You may Also Like:	10 BEST DUCK BREEDS FOR EGG PRODUCTION

Broody:	Yes	They have been known to go broody and will sit on eggs until hatched
Mothers:	Yes	They will raise and protect their young
Meat:	Yes	They are fast growers and have a high quality of meat that is less fatty than Pekin ducks
You may Also Like:		10 BEST DUCK BREEDS FOR MEAT PRODUCTION
Pets:	Yes	They are gentle, calm and can be quite affectionate
Show:	No	They can be shown but are not classified by the APA
Prime:	6 yrs	They lay right up to between 5 to 6 years of age if they stay healthy

Males/Drakes

⇒

They are good breeders, pets and have a good quality lean meat

Breed:	Yes	Should only start to breed them at 6 months old
Start:	–	Start to get fertile at around 3 – 4 months
No. Females	5	For every 1 drake in a flock
Aggressive	No	Most drakes are not aggressive, but they may get so if the hens are breeding or there are ducklings to protect
Meat	Yes	Good quality lean meat
You may Also Like:		10 BEST DUCK BREEDS FOR MEAT PRODUCTION
Pets:	Yes	They are really good pets and will actually socialize with their owners
Show:	No	You can show them, but they are not classified by the APA
Prime:	4 yrs	It is best to mate the younger drakes of up to about 4 years old

TEMPERAMENT
“These are really smart ducks that are also very sociable ducks. They tend to create a special bond with both their flock and humans.”
Good with Kids?	They are good to have for teaching supervised kids how to tend to and care for ducks
You may Also Like:	10 BEST DUCK BREEDS TO KEEP AS FAMILY PET
Flyers?	They are poor flyers and usually do not even attempt to
Noisy Birds?	They are not as noisy as chickens, but they do like to have a chat
Interact with other ducks?	They are a very sociable breed that likes to mingle
Best duck breeds to mix them with:	Any domesticated variety of duck
Other animals?	They are not too fussed around other domestic animals. They tend not to get into scraps with them as they are quite animal savvy and know how to avoid predators and bad situations.

IDEAL ENVIRONMENT
“This breed is a really good forager and the love to nose about looking for grubs, slugs and snails”
Ideal Garden Size?	Medium to large
Can be Confined?	Yes but they really do not like it as they like to be out and about
Free-Range	They will not wander too far from their home
Penned Free-Ranging?	As long as there are fresh grass and patches for them to get their grubs
Foragers	Excellent foragers
Endures heat well	As long as there is fresh cool water for them to drink and dip into
Endures cold well	Make sure they have a nice cozy place for them the huddle in outside and inside their duck house
Special Requirements?	Other than the normal pool or pond
Ideal Duck House:	A nice duck house that is adequately sized to house all the ducks
Ideal Duck Pond:	A kiddie’s plastic paddling will do. But if you can manage a nice shallow small pond that would be a lot better
Flock/Paddling Size:	2 or more ducks in the flock
You may Also Like:	22 Best DOMESTIC DUCK BREEDS

GOOD TO KNOW
“The Ancona duck does not have any special requirements as they are quite a low maintenance self-sufficient breed. But they are listed as rare and critical at the American Livestock Conservancy”
Special Care/Attention Requirements?	Check with the American Livestock Conservancy
Known Predators:	Check with animal control in your area for known predators
Conservations Status:	Critical/Watch For more information on poultry, conservation status, check the American Livestock Conservancy Website
Breeders Clubs:	It is best to check with the American Poultry Association for various clubs and or organizations.
Where to buy them:	Purely Poultry, Cackle Hatchery or check with the American Livestock Conservancy
Other:	If you do not want to risk having your ducks shipped check with your local poultry farms for advice on your nearest supplier.

HISTORY

There was a lot of controversy over the origins of the Ancona duck. It was at first believe to have originated in Britain. But extensive research both in America and Britain now points to the origins of the Ancona being from the United States.

There is a piece of text that was written in the 1913 Water Fowl Club of America’s Yearbook. In this text, W.J. Wirt in Knowlesville, New York writes about developing a new breed of duck that he has called the Ancona. W.J. Wirt lived on Ridge View Farms and it was here that he allegedly developed this delightful breed.

W. J. Wirt claimed to have developed the breed by breeding a combination of several standard breeds of duck. It was not long after this publication the that Ancona Duck was listed in the American Poultry Yearbook of receiving two first place wins in the Boston Show in 1915.

Health

They do not have any major known health issues. But all domestic animals should have regular health and pest checks. Ensure they are vaccinated if required.

Ducks need water to ensure they do not get “wet feather” disease. This is where the preening gland dries out. Water also stops them from getting pests such as mites, fleas, ticks, lice, etc.
Well, fed ducks should hardly have any health issues.
Any birds kept in a flock need to be dewormed. Although ducks are not as prone as other poultry they should still have a de-worming regime. Speak to a local vet or poultry experts for advice. Our article on Healthy Ducks has some great tips and advice on de-worming ducks.