Duck Breed Focus - Magpie

[sumi]

The Magpie duck breed originates from Wales, where it was developed by Rev. G. Williams and O. Drake shortly after the First World War, possibly from an old Belgian Huttegem breed that looks remarkably similar in appearance in old paintings from around that time. Magpie ducks are similar in size and shape as the Khaki Campbell duck breed, but Magpies are predominantly white, with two areas of black plumage, a ‘cap’ on the top of their heads and patch on their backs. The black ‘cap’ becomes flecked with white as the bird ages and some may even turn completely white.
Magpie Ducks were entered into the British Waterfowl Standard in 1926. They arrived in the United States from Great Britain in 1963 and were later admitted to the American Standard of Perfection in 1977, where Black and White and Blue and White colour varieties are standardised.
Details:
Eggs: 80 to 180 Eggs.
Origin: Wales, U.K.
Weight: Drake: 5.5 - 7lb, Duck: 4.4 - 6lb.
Colours: Black & White, Blue & White, Chocolate & White, Dun & White.




Pics by @Stacykins
BYC Breed Review:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/magpie
Breed discussions:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805687/new-magpie-thread/0_30
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/598781/magpie-ducks/0_30
Do you own Magpies? Are you a Magpie breeder? If so, please reply to this thread with the your thoughts and experiences, including:

· What made you decide to get this breed?
· Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
· What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
· Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

 

[N F C]

Oh those are some beautiful ducks! I wonder if they hard to find here in the U.S.?

 

[Stacykins]

Very cool! Thanks for referencing me as the taker of the photos! Here is a picture of an adult of mine



They are rather difficult to find, my flock was hard to piece together. The Livestock Conservancy lists them as critically endangered.

The numbers of eggs they lay is fabulous.The numbers I get is higher than the listed numbers on this post. During the spring, summer, and fall, unless a girl goes broody, I get an egg a day. They taper off during the cooler part of the year as the days shorten and they molt, but they don't stop laying completely during the winter.

Speaking of winter, these guys are like penguins. I have a clean, dry, draft free coop for them to use. Often they don't use it! I've come out after a blizzard to find them hunkered down, covered in snow. I know they know about the coop, since that is where they lay, but it certainly is interesting their preference to be outside.

 

[applebutter14]

i have had only magpie and i got him when he was a duckling from out local feed store along with 3 other ducklings, he grew up really fast, he LOVED bananas. i named him furby. he did not have perfect coloring but he still got a blue ribbon at the fair. later that year i sold them because at that time i did not have a place for them over the winter. i wish i would have kept him he would run up to me and jump in my lap when i sat down on the grass.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Gorgeous ducks.

 

[ShrekDawg]

What beautiful birds! Shame they're so rare.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

I fell in LOVE with Magpies a few years ago when a friend of mine was looking to re-home the two drakes that she had. She ended up giving me the two boys because she couldn't find any girls for them. A while later I came across some and picked up 4 more ducklings, then found 3 more, then found 2 more... I have worked very hard to find the ones that I have and swipe up any that I find. I have mostly found them from people that got them from some one else and they didn't realize what they had. It has taken me a few years because they are so rare. This year was my first year breeding them and I have had some pretty good success with shipping hatching eggs as well as hatching my own. I hatched them under broodies as well as in my incubator. They are great layers. I get eggs from them almost every day and last winter when my chickens stopped laying my ducks never missed a beat. I think that they are closer to 200+ a year.

I think that I fell in love with their coloring first. They love to be out and about in the yard and would rather be out then in their coop and run. I live in Upstate NY and they did great all winter long. I always laughed at them cause they would be in their water tubs as soon as I filled them in the morning and would let me hear it if I didn't bring them out some more in the afternoon to refill it after I knocked the ice out..They are just too funny...

But enough of the talking...I have Blue and White and Black and White as well as a few crested by accident...I could post 100+ pictures so I'll see if I can limit it

 

[MagpieDucks]

Oh those are some beautiful ducks! I wonder if they hard to find here in the U.S.?

Johnson's Waterfowl sells them in blue and black for only 4$! I'm going to be getting a black next spring!

 

[N F C]

@ViolinPlayer123 thanks for the info!

 

[Amiga]

So beautiful!