28 



PARADISE VALLEY POULTRY RANCH 



PEKIN DUCK 



Tke Pekin Duck 



The Pekin duck is kept almost exclusively by commercial duck farmers 

 in the United States who make a specialty of producing "green" ducks; it 

 is also the most popular breed on general farms. Green ducks are duck- 

 lings which are grown rapidly and marketed when they are from eight to 

 twelve weeks old, when they weigh about four and one-half to six pounds 

 apiece. If not sold at that time, the market quality of their flesh depre- 

 ciates while their weight decreases, and it takes several weeks to get them 

 back into good market condition. 



The Pekin duck originated in China and was introduced into this 

 country about 1875, where it soon became the most popular breed on com- 

 mercial duck farms. The introduction of the Pekin practically marks the 

 beginning of intensive commercial duck farming in the United States. This 

 breed has a creamy white plumage, a long, broad, and deep body, with a 

 full breast and deep keel (the part extending backward from the breast). 

 The color of the skin is yellow, the shanks and toes should be reddish- 

 orange, and the bill orange-yellow, free from black. The standard weights 

 of the adult drake and duck are nine and eight pounds respectively. Pekin 

 ducks are hardy, are fair layers, practically non-sitters, and especially 

 adapted for the production of flesh. They are very docile, easily confined 

 by low fences, and well adapted either for commercial duck farming or as 

 a side issue on general farms. 



