Aztec Ducks!

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Pyxis said:
Aztecs are a very rare breed of bantam duck created by Holderread in 1983. Holderread began to develop them when they realized that people wanted a small, pretty duck to keep that was hardy and easy to propagate. Call ducks weren't cutting it for some people, since well-bred Calls have a lot of trouble hatching and can be hard to breed. So Holderread set out to create a very pretty bantam duck that bred easily and was hardy and vigorous. Thus, the Aztec was created.

They were bred to be about halfway between the extremes of the wild mallard and the Call duck. Not so long and racy as a mallard, but not so short and round as a Call. As a result, they were small, hardy birds that weren't difficult to breed. They were good layers, as far as bantam ducks go, producing between 40 and 100 eggs a year. They were good mothers, and readily hatched and raised their own ducklings.

However, Holderread eventually decided they would no longer keep the breed. Since then, they have nearly become extinct. But some were preserved, and have been kept in small flocks, being outcrossed to Calls or mallards to try to introduce new blood.

A small group of just such these birds made their way to me today. I offered help and genetics advice to someone with a small flock of these beautiful little ducks, and they decided to entrust me with a small flock of my own to work with and to help preserve the breed.

Here is most of my little group today, settling into their new digs. Certainly didn't take them long to find the pool!

View attachment 1845376

More pictures to come as they get settled.

Does anyone else keep this breed?
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How are your Aztec ducks doing? I just ordered a dozen hatching eggs today so hoping to start my own backyard flock.
 
Is anyone interested in a couple of juvenile Aztec drakes? They're from ducks I got from @Knighstar679 with a mallard cross a few generations back. Mama is a lovely darker duck (pearl, I think) and the rest of the family is all the porcelain variant.
I'm in Rochester, NY, and no clue how to ship birds, but could meet someone within about a 2 hour drive from here, and if this drags out until Thanksgiving, could meet anywhere between here and VT. Gas money would be appreciated, but I really just need to find these guys a home before it gets too cold for them to stay out in the spare cage.

If you're a duck eater who is interested in a couple of jerk 2.5 year old non-bantam drakes, I'll bring you those, too.
 
Knighstar679 said:
Yep it was me. I am trying to spread some Aztec love around because I love these little guys.
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I have 4 Aztec. 2 drakes and 2 hens. They are housed with my special needs Ancona but all get along pretty good. They are awesome and I just love those little guys. Lol they are a riot and each have their own personalities that make them each unique lol
 
6 Aztec eggs went into the incubator earlier this week. Got to test fertility, right? My bantam breeds often take a few weeks to get fertile in the spring, so not expecting much from them. I was surprised to start getting eggs so early, but I think they did this last year also. The do seem to lay a little better than even the Mini Silver Appleyards.
I should have plenty of ducklings and eggs later in the spring for anyone on the mid-Atlantic area.
 

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