Rouen Ducklings for sale hatching February to November.
Rouens are a large duck breed that retains the coloring of the gray Mallard. They are second to only Pekins and Muscovy in size and are said to have the most flavorful meat.
American Poultry Association Class: Heavy Duck Class
ALBC Conservation Status: Watch
Meat Production: Rouens are relatively slow growers compared with the Pekin ducks which have been developed for the table. Slow maturation (6-8 months) makes them impractical for commercial meat production; Rouen ducks are still suitable for the home or small farm.
Males have a fall weight of 8 to 9 pounds and females are 6 to 7 pounds.
Eggs: Rouens produce 140 to 180 duck eggs per year. Rouen ducks are not breed for producing lots of eggs. Rouen ducks are not great egg layers- they cannot compete with the small, light ducks. Rouen ducks are so heavy that they tend to crush their eggs if allowed to incubate them. The amount Rouens lay depends on the strain. Ours is a production strain that produces a lot of eggs but is not as large as standard.
Color: Rouen drakes have a lustrous green head and neck, a rich purplish brown chest, and steel gray penciling on the upper body. Rouen ducks are mahogany brown with fine penciling of greenish black or brown. Recently, breeders have also developed and exhibited Black Rouen, Blue Rouen, Fawn Rouen, and Pastel Rouen varieties.
History: Rouens were originally bred in France sometime before the 19th century. The origin of the name is not known. When they arrived in England, they were variously called Rhone, after the region in southwest-central France; Rohan, after the cardinal of that name; Roan, for the mixture of colors; and Rouen after the northern French town, with Rouen eventually being adopted in both England and France. In France they are called Rouen Fonc (dark) as opposed to Rouen Clair, which are lighter in color.
The Rouen ducks was not until it reached England in the 1800s that it was refined into the breed recognized as the Rouen today. The French version resembled a larger than an average Mallard, but by selective breeding the British managed to double the size of the bird, improve its coloration, and add bulk, giving it a more "boat-like" aspect.
In 1850 the first Rouens were introduced to the USA by D. W. Lincoln of Worcester, Massachusetts, and used as general farm ducks until becoming popular as show birds.
If you give us a call we can get crested Rouen ducks for you as well.
