Crested Duck Breed – Everything You Need to Know

In the older Disney cartoons, the ducks that were depicted as sailor ducks were white with a cute bobble on their head for their hats.

The Crested duck reminds me so much of the Disney depiction of those cute sailor ducks. There are a few colors, but the APA only recognizes the black and white variety of the breed.

The white variety is pure white with its white crested on its head that looks like a pom-pom. The white variety has the typical duck orange bill, legs and feet.

The black variety, however, is pure black with a black pom-pom on the top of their head. Their legs, feet and bill are also dark.

Although they are a dual-purpose breed used for both meat and eggs. These unique ducks make great pets and terrific show birds. They are also quite a good starter duck for the first-time duck owner.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Country of Origin:	South America
American Poultry Association:	yes Recognized by the American Poultry Association
Duck Category:	Medium
Duck Class:	South American
Colors:	Black, Date of acceptance: 1977 White, Date of acceptance: 1874
Other known colors	There are various different colors that are recognized in different countries around the world.
Good starter duck?	Yes
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Bantam Variety Available?	Yes-Crested Miniature
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APPEARANCE / IDENTIFICATION

DUCK BITS

DESCRIPTION

COLOR

EYES⇒

Same for M & F

Blue

BILL⇒

Same for M & F

White variety have a Yellow Bill
Black variety have a black bill

* Black bean tipped

CRESTED?

Yes

Depends on the color variety

Same color for M & F, White Variety have a White crest, Black Variety have a Black crest

LEGS⇒

Same for M & F
Short Length

White variety have orange legs
Black variety have a dusty/mottled black

FEET⇒

Same for M & F
Medium Sized

White variety have orange feet
Black variety have a dusty/mottled black color

WINGS⇒

Same for M & F

The white variety is pure white
The black variety is pure black

FEATHERS⇒

Same for M & F

The white variety is pure white
The black variety is completely black

SKIN COLOR⇒

Same for M & F

White

Can be yellow depending on what they have eaten

AVERAGE WEIGHT⇒

Adult Female:	6 lbs.
Adult Male:	7 lbs.
Mature:	**6 – 7 lbs. @ 10 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

⇒

They are mainly kept as a show or ornamental duck. But can be used for eggs, meat and pets

Eggs⇒
	Color:	White
	Qty/Yr:	130
	Size:	Medium
	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
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Broody:	Yes	They are not very broody ducks
Mothers:	Yes	They are also not the best of mothers
Meat:	Yes	They are a decent meat bird
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Pets:	Yes	They make okay pets but have to be hand reared from young to get them used to humans
Show:	Yes	They are good show ducks
Prime:	7 yrs	They lay right up to between 8 to 9 years of age if they stay healthy

Males/Drakes

⇒

Meat, show, breed and pets

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	Yes	They are no aggressive as much as they are skittish. They tend to be snappy if frightened.
Meat	Yes
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Pets:	Yes	A bit skittish and snappy has to be hand reared/td>
Show:	Yes	A really good show bird
Prime:	4 yrs	It is best to mate the younger drakes of up to about 4 years old

TEMPERAMENT
“They are easily spooked but if reared correctly can be quite friendly”
Good with Kids?	They are okay around supervised children
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Flyers?	They can fly
Noisy Birds?	They are quite a noisy duck breed
Interact with other ducks?	They do socialize with other ducks
Best duck breeds to mix them with:	Any domesticated breed of duck .
Other animals?	They tend to avoid other domestic animals.

IDEAL ENVIRONMENT
Ideal Garden Size?	Medium to large
Can be Confined?	No
Free-Range	Yes
Penned Free-Ranging?	Yes
Foragers	Yes
Endures heat well	Yes
Endures cold well	Yes
Special Requirements?	No
Ideal Duck House:	Any good-sized hutch that will comfortably house the number of ducks. Make sure it is well ventilated and insulated. It must also lock to keep the duck safe from predators and vermin
Ideal Duck Pond:	Any splash pool or shallow duck pone
Flock/Paddling Size:	Two or more ducks as they love to socialize
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GOOD TO KNOW
Special Care/Attention Requirements?	They have no special needs
Known Predators:	Check with animal control in your area for known predators
Conservations Status:	Not Listed 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, Metzer Farms, My Pet Chicken or check with local poultry suppliers and or farmers in your area or check with your local poultry dealers and or farmers, the APA 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

The crest on the Crested ducks head is caused by a genetic mutation which causes a genetic deformation of the skull.

This breed of duck has been depicted in Dutch portraits that date back to the 17th century. Establishing that the breed has been around since before the 1600’s.

Their exact origin is unknown although it has been surmised that they were probably brought to Europe by Dutch ships from the East Indies. It is in Europe where they were developed into the breed that is in existence today.

The Crested duck was imported to America in the mid-1800’s. The white variety was the first variety of the Crested duck to be admitted to the American Standard of Perfection by the American Poultry Association in 1910.

The Black variety of the Crested duck was admitted into the Standard of Perfection by the American Poultry Association in 1977.

There are quite a few other colors of the crested duck such as the Grey, Blue and Buff which, along with the Black and the White varieties are accepted in the United Kingdom.

There is a Bantam version of the crested duck called the Crested Miniature which was developed in the late 20th century by Roy Sutcliffe and John Hall from the United Kingdom. Whilst the crested miniature was accepted in the UK in 1997 it has not, as yet, been accepted into the Standard of Perfection by the American Poultry Association

Health

No known health issues

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.