Poultry Breeds Encyclopedia > Ducks > Aylesbury Duck

Aylesbury Duck

Breed description

Aylesbury duck is a very large duck breed, with well developed chest muscle. The origin of the Aylesbury duck is unclear, but since at least the 1690s these ducks had been farmed in Aylesbury. Before the 18th century, the common duck in England was a domesticated form of the wild mallard. The Aylesbury duck become popular for white feathers as a filler for quilts. The Aylesbury duck has pure white plumage, pink bill and bright orange legs and feet.
Aylesbury ducks starts to lay eggs since November. Ducklings fatten quickly and by 8 weeks after hatching weigh up to 2,3 kg, large enough to eat but still young and extremely tender. Thus their meat came onto the market from February onwards, after the close of the game season but before the earliest spring chickens were on sale. Another meat duck breed - Rouen ducks, lay eggs from February and take 6 months to grow large enough to eat. Thus Aylesbury ducks were sold primarily in the spring and summer, and Rouen ducks in the autumn and winter.
In 1873 the Pekin duck was introduced from China to Britain. Pekin ducks are similar to the Aylesbury, it is white with orange bill and legs, with more upright posture. Although not such a delicate flavour as the Aylesbury, the Pekin was hardier and produced more eggs, fattened more quickly, and was roughly the same size as an Aylesbury at 8 weeks. For these reasons is now Aylesbury ducks an endangered breed.