THE AYLESBURY DUCK By: Kenneth Broekman (NL)
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Above: A 1900 postcard of stock Aylesbury ducks in Weston Turville, in the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside. THE AYLESBURY DUCK By: Kenneth Broekman (NL) Origin It is definitely established that the Aylesbury duck originated from Aylesbury Vale, which is part of the Buckinghamshire county, situated northwest of London. Already in 1765, large concentrations of Aylesbury ducks were found here. The Aylesbury valley was an ideal place for breeding this duck, very shady and with crystal clear, shallow streams, the bottom covered with pebbles. This ‘giant of the domesticated ducks’ – which today is only maintained by fanciers - is basically one of the heaviest meat ducks in the world. In the old times, the major London meat markets were a popular outlet for the ducks. That such a precise specification of the Aylesbury duck can be found in the present English standard, is a direct consequence of the fact that the former merchants left us a very precise description of the ducks. Right: Haddenham in Aylesbury Vale, in the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside, was the original breeding ground for the Aylesbury Duck. There are still four ponds in the village though common mallards and moorhen now outnumber the white ducks. Photo courtesy of www.haddenham.net General characteristics The completely white plumage, orange legs and pinkish-white bill are the main cha- racteristics of the Aylesbury duck. In his book ‘Domesticated Waterfowl’ the known American historiographer prof. Oscar Grow stated that the colour of the bill of the Aylesbury duck is like a ‘lady pink nail’. Also Baldamus stated the bill should be of a pinkish-white colour. Above: This illustrated drawing by Van Gink was an addition to the weekly Avicultura magazine of January 30th, 1924 – with the following caption: “A beautiful reproduction of the Aylesbury Ducks as they are today.” Archives Kenneth Broekman. History There are many written documents on these ducks, which were mainly bred and kept by cottagers to gain some extra money. Several famous poultry writers like Fowler, Baldamus, Weir and Van Gink, wrote historical articles on the Aylesbury ducks. Especially John Kersley Fowler was an authority on duck breeding and rearing. He owned ‘Prebendal Farm’ on the outskirts of Aylesbury and wrote in 1850: “The white Aylesbury ducks stand pre-eminent; their reputation is universal; they are well adapted to almost every climate and soil, thriving anywhere and everywhere. They reach maturity sooner than any other kind. They are hardy, attain to a great size, and are remarkably prolific.” Even Mrs. Beeton, in her famous book ‘The Book of Household Management’ (1861) gives some attention to the Aylesbury ducks: “The white Aylesbury duck is, and deservedly, a universal favourite. Its snowy plumage and comfortable comportment make it a credit to the poultry-yard, while its broad and deep breast, and its ample back, convey the assurance that your satisfaction will not cease at its death. In parts of Buckinghamshire, this member of the duck family is bred on an extensive scale; not on plains and commons, however, as might be naturally imagined, but in the abodes of the cottagers. Round the walls of the living-rooms, and of the bedroom even, are fixed rows of wooden boxes, lined with hay; and it is the business of the wife and children to nurse and comfort the feathered lodgers, to feed the little ducklings, and to take the old ones out for an airing. Sometimes the “stock” ducks are the cottager’s own property, but it more frequently happens that they are intrusted to his care by a wholesale breeder, who pays him so much per score for all ducklings properly raised. To be perfect, the Aylesbury duck should be plump, pure white, with yellow feet, and a flesh-coloured beak”. Market value In the markets of London merchants offered the highest prices for ducks with a bill as fair as possible, under the motto, the brighter the beak color, the tastier the meat. At the time the breeders began to feed their ducks with a mixture of rice porridge and barley flour, to have the ducks gain weight as fast as possible. Once the Aylesbury duck had lost its commercial value, the British Waterfowl Association took on the responsibility to save the animal from extinction with help of the fanciers. In England, America and Germany, there is now only limited interest in the duck. It really was not that long ago that England wanted to establish a committee: "Save the Aylesbury”. In Holland, companies started importing the Aylesbury for experimental crossings with the American Peking duck, mainly because of the tasty meat of the Aylesbury Ducks. Above: Illustrated drawing from an old UK poultry magazine, showing Indian Runner, Rouen, Pekin and Aylesbury. By means of this drawing we can see that the Aylesbury hardly changed over the years, compared to the other Duck breeds. Archives Kenneth Broekman. Not the most beautiful What would be the reason why the Aylesbury, being such a great duck, never became popular in the Netherlands? The number of fans varies between 1 and 2, although it should be noted that there may be one or two breeders that, being a novice, refrain from participation in exhibitions, because of disappointing results. This is very unfortunate. Of course it is fully understandable that it is no easy task for a judge, when he, after judging a colorful duck – i.e. a Saxony duck - has to switch to an Aylesbury duck. because we have to admit that the latter is certainly not the most beautiful girl. Indeed, in both appearance and colour this white colossus with her orange legs and pale bill beak doesn't really appeal to our imagination. Another ‘negative’ is the fact that the Aylesbury belong to the kind of ducks that moult all year round. And yet, this colossus among domesticated ducks is an alert and funny bird that will really get attached to her carer. Right: Authentic postcard from 1949, by the known Belgian artist Delin. Archives Kenneth Broekman. Characteristics From documents as old as 1895 it is clear that the original Aylesbury duck has to be long, broad and very deep, and especially broad over the shoulders. From a distance we see the bird as a strong and powerful duck. Then, with the slightly bended neck it still gives an elegant impression. Carriage is horizontal and parallel with the ground. The keel is well defined, straight from breast to stern and when walking, the keel is just free from the ground. This implies that an upright carriage is not wanted in this breed. The strong wings are carried close to the sides. The short tail is carried slightly elevated. Some- times the tail is carried almost flat, which is not wanted. Left: One of Kenneth Broekman’s Aylesbury ducks at the 2007 Avicorni Show (NL). Photo AE. Head The chubby cheeks and the comparatively long, broad and powerful bill are characteristic for the head. With this bill the Aylesbury distinguishes itself from other duck breeds. The full, blue eyes are set near the top of the skull. In Rees Encyclopedia the Aylesbury is described as an albino version of the Rouan duck. However, the outlines and head-tail ratio of the Rouen show not a single similarity with the same points in the Aylesbury, thus in the mean time one has gone back on this statement. Bill The pink-white bill, with a paler coloured bean on the end is the most characteristic feature for the Aylesbury duck. With birds that have no or hardly any access to flowing water, often a sort of dirty hue is seen on the bill. This can easily be cleaned with a soft tissue. But you must see to it that it is regularly cleaned, for if you wait too long to clean it, the stain will get stuck on the bill. This is less noticeable in the older birds, as they usually have a somewhat darker bill than the young ones. Left and below: A two year old Aylesbury duck + head study. Note the large, strong bill in ratio with the head size. Same as in the Runner Ducks, the eyes of the Aylesbury are set near the top of the skull. Photos: Kenneth Broekman. It is striking that the US standard allows Aylesbury ducks to have a light yellow bill. This was decided in 1939, and the given reason was that the influence of the sunshine and the quality of the local water could cause a yellowish tinge on the bill. This combination of factors is the best proof that external factors, such as feeding maize, can be of influence on the external colour of the bill. Moreover, it reveals that it is not easy to obtain (and keep) the original light flesh-coloured bill. Plumage As mentioned before the Aylesbury duck is constantly in a state of moult. Breeding a close, bright and glossy feathering is hardly practicable. And thus it is always very disappointing when the judge’s report states: ‘Is in moult’. Same as with the bill, the climatologic circumstances can also be of influence on the pure white feathering. When the ducks are kept in an area with little shade, the plumage will eventually get a yellowish sheen. Apart from that, pigment- enhancing food such as maize or greens, can also have an impact on a white plumage. My question is, why are these animals excluded from a show beforehand? These are the hallmarks of an older animal. There are also beautiful old Cayuga's, Emerald Duck, but because they are older they have white feathers ...! Our famous late waterfowl breeder / specialist and judge Wim Biallosterski stated: “A light yellow hue on white ducks, demonstrates vitality and proper functioning of the preen gland.” For the few breeders of Aylesbury ducks the above lines can be a guide in assessing the origin of a light yellow hue in the Aylesbury.