Ratchnick
Crowing
Most ducks can be dual purpose but you asked for the best, so here goes.
Pekins are usually breed for meat, SOME strains lay quite a few eggs. They are a popular duck but i would not own one because it seems like two thirds of the ducks on this forum with a leg problem are pekins. They get it as ducklings with niacin requirements they again when they are bigger sliped tendon or other similar injury is common. In my opinion calling a pekin dual purpose is like calling a cornish cross a dual purpose.
Sorry to dissapoint some of you but welsh harliquin is also out, they lay lots of eggs but they are a light breed, so your looking at a 2-3 pound bird dressed.
#1 Silver appleyard
The most eggs out of a heavy class duck, good strains will lay over 225 a year.
#2 Ancona
The most eggs out of a medium class duck, over 250 i think. These ducks are first pick for homesteaders as they have better survival instincts agaienst winged predators, and are eccelent foragers, or so i have read. * Bonous you can tell your ducks apart becsuse of their unique coloring. **Double bonous, if you get a chocolate drake and black hens you can sex by down color as ducklings.
#3 Saxony
Slightly heavier then the appleyard and slightly less eggs, meat is prized by gourmet chefs.
You cant go wrong with any of these 3. But get the best genetics you can, results can vary a LOT (think 100 egg a year difference) within a breed.
Honorable mention
Golden Cascade
Few people know about this breed and that's a shame. A medium class duck, supreme layer, over 300 a year, the drakes are substantially bigger then the hens, the one i have is bigger then some of my Saxony. This breed was designed as the ultimate dual purpose breed. Only available from Holderreads, and probably not for much longer. Dave Holderread is probably the best duck breeder on the continent. *Bonous, if you cross a golden cascade drake with a hen from most other breeds you can sex the ducklings by down color.
Pekins are usually breed for meat, SOME strains lay quite a few eggs. They are a popular duck but i would not own one because it seems like two thirds of the ducks on this forum with a leg problem are pekins. They get it as ducklings with niacin requirements they again when they are bigger sliped tendon or other similar injury is common. In my opinion calling a pekin dual purpose is like calling a cornish cross a dual purpose.
Sorry to dissapoint some of you but welsh harliquin is also out, they lay lots of eggs but they are a light breed, so your looking at a 2-3 pound bird dressed.
#1 Silver appleyard
The most eggs out of a heavy class duck, good strains will lay over 225 a year.
#2 Ancona
The most eggs out of a medium class duck, over 250 i think. These ducks are first pick for homesteaders as they have better survival instincts agaienst winged predators, and are eccelent foragers, or so i have read. * Bonous you can tell your ducks apart becsuse of their unique coloring. **Double bonous, if you get a chocolate drake and black hens you can sex by down color as ducklings.
#3 Saxony
Slightly heavier then the appleyard and slightly less eggs, meat is prized by gourmet chefs.
You cant go wrong with any of these 3. But get the best genetics you can, results can vary a LOT (think 100 egg a year difference) within a breed.
Honorable mention
Golden Cascade
Few people know about this breed and that's a shame. A medium class duck, supreme layer, over 300 a year, the drakes are substantially bigger then the hens, the one i have is bigger then some of my Saxony. This breed was designed as the ultimate dual purpose breed. Only available from Holderreads, and probably not for much longer. Dave Holderread is probably the best duck breeder on the continent. *Bonous, if you cross a golden cascade drake with a hen from most other breeds you can sex the ducklings by down color.
