There are four classes of ducks, Bantam, Lightweight, Mediumweight, and Heavyweight. What the difference? Basically the weight, though the different classes are all great at different things. Duck breeds in the Bantam class weigh between 18-40 ounces, Lightweight breeds weigh between 31/2 and 51/2 pounds, Mediumweight breeds typically weigh 6-8 pounds, and finally Heavyweight breeds weigh 7-12 pounds, though some individuals weigh even more. So as I just said the Lightweight breeds weigh between 31/2 and 51/2 pounds. Which breeds are Lightweight breeds? Lightweight breeds include Bali, Campbell, Harlequin, Magpie, and Runner. Why get Lightweight ducks? If your purpose for getting ducks is for eggs or for bug extermination, these ducks are a great chose!


As far as how many eggs they lay, here a "chart" to help you out:
Breed: Eggs a year:
Bali* 120-250
Campbell 250-340
Harlequin 240-330
Magpie* 220-290
Runner 150-300
As you can see, Lightweight breeds lay a lot of eggs. As far as bug extermination goes, Lightweight are the most active foragers among ducks. Trust me, when I bring out my ducks (which include a Runner, two Magpies, and two Campbells) out to forage, they mostly keep their heads down as they chow down on the food around them (Well food to them
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).



I've read that the Lightweight breeds are the most at home on land than any other class of duck, maybe the breeds of other classes do like the water more, but my Lightweights still love water. Mine
LOVE to splash around in the pool, even at the strangest of times (By strangest of times I mean the time when it started pouring down rain and my runner runs out of their house and into the pool and starts making tidal waves...)
I've never had a Lightweight duck that was capable of sustained flight like two Mallards of ours were (They flew so far you couldn't see them, then they came back a landed *plop* in the driveway) however they are capable of some flight. For example, this morning I brought them out to forage and my Runner didn't come out of the pen till the other were about 30 feet away. When my Runner saw that her friends were far away she flew all the way over to them less then a foot off the ground. For another example, I was spraying my ducks with the house and they were all happy, when one of my Campbells flew pretty much straight into the air, about 3 feet off the ground, and then landed straight down. My Magpie drake did the same as soon as my Campbell had landed. So Lightweight breed are definitely capable of some flight. If you are wondering what the Lightweight breeds look like, I'm afraid I don't have pictures of the Bali, but I do have pictures of the Magpie as well as the Campbell and the Harlequin and the Runner. Here they are:



This is a picture of my Magpie pair.



These are my Khaki Campbells


This is my Black Runner.

And this is @BantyChooks Harlequin
(Who I wish I had...
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)

I hope this article helps you out!

-The Duck Ladie