Silver Appleyard Ducks

[CowChick]

I Picked up my part of the NH/VT Silver Appleyard Duck Preservation Project today.
7 ducklings became "back seat drivers" all the way home. Two are mine and the other 5 go to another person interested in this rare breed of duck. Anyone know how to sex 7 day old ducklings? Beak color? These ducks are my "weapons of mass destruction" on garden snails.


I was invaded with snails last year and lost 70% of the food I had planted. I tried the Diatamacious Earth, Bud Lite, coffee grounds, wool and many other safe treatments to try to get rid of them, to no avail. So I have been planning since last August how to avoid the same problem. Expensive solution: Heritage/foraging chicks, snail killing ducks, all supplies and next: hiring a carpenter to build me a well ventilated and secure coop. Fortunately, I found this NH/VT Appleyard Preservation Project and they will be my front line against pests in the garden. As soon as my coop is built I will reserve a few more.
The ducklings are free. Limited supply. Please Consider raising rare breeds.
Anyone have a good coop they no longer need, in Northern Vermont?

Per the ALBC:
http://albc-usa.org/cpl/waterfowl/waterfowl.html
Critical: According to the survey, several breeds of ducks, including the Ancona, Magpie, Saxony, and Silver Appleyard, show populations of fewer than 150 breeding birds and one or no primary breeding flocks. If they are to survive each of these requires prompt conservation efforts, including the development of additional primary flocks. Experienced breeders are strongly encouraged to consider working with these breeds.

 

[Iain Utah]

Congrats!!!!!!!! I hatched out a silver appleyard baby last week that a friend gave me as a surprise egg. I loved it so much, within a few days I placed an order with a seller for a few more! Hope you love their calm and sweet personality as much as me!

 

[ambrose]

Oh, happy, happy. I'm envious (but not duck-ready just yet). They look like lovely ducks. And are adorable duckling.

I hope they all find good homes and enjoy their slug-feasts!

 

[PetesMom]

Jealous! There are 7 one week olds for sale on our local craigslist! I'm at my limit....5 Rouen ducklings and soon to be 11 pekins in a week

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Vent sexing is how to tell them apart, otherwise you are just guessing.

We love our SA's and are constantly increasing the flock size here. They are a lovely LARGE and slow moving duck full of personality.

 

[Oregon Blues]

I see 3 Silver Appleyards in that photo. I hope you don't think you got more than 3 of them.

 

[Iain Utah]

Oregon, what do you mean???

Here are pics of my silver appleyard duckling, that I hatched from Celtic's stock.

 

[Kaolru]

Aside from the three lighter ones, they appear to be mallards.

 

[GrannyCarol]

Silver Appleyard ducklings have a characteristic black stripe down the top of their heads, like the three lighter ducklings in the original picture. They should not be dark with lighter spots like the others, which could be Rouens if they are as large as the SA's, or crosses, or poorly marked. They don't have the proper SA color and I'd be concerned about the purity of their stock. Same with the "Silver Appleyard" hatched out by Iaian Utah. There are "dark" strains of SA's, but they shouldn't have Mallard coloring.

To sex them, you'd have to vent sex, check out the video on Metzger's webpage.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

There are dark phase, and light phase silver appleyards. You have 3 light phase, 4 dark. Very pretty. If they were mallards, or rouens, they would have blackish green bills.