Pekin duck
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the Chinese way of cooking duck, see Peking Duck.
A Pekin duck is a breed of domesticated duck used primarily for egg and meat production. Bred from the Mallard in China, nine ducks were imported to the United States in 1873.[1] It is the most popular commercial duck breed in the United States.
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[edit] Growth & Development
[edit] Hatching
Pekin ducks spend about 28 days in their eggs at 99.5° F at 55-75% humidity. By the third day of incubation a heartbeat is evident when candling the egg.
The eggs must constantly be turned while they are being incubated. In nature this happens when the female duck sitting on the eggs shifts her position. In artificial incubation, egg turners are available that will constantly turn the eggs.
Three days before they hatch, they are moved to a hatcher with a slightly lower temperature and higher humidity where they can break out of their eggs and survive for a short period of time before they grow feathers.
Duck eggs are relatively easy to hatch and are very forgiving of temperature and humidity inconsistencies.
[edit] Hatchlings and Young Ducklings
Pekin hatchlings have bright yellow plumage. They have an orange bill with orange shanks and feet. When kept indoors and concealed from the sun the feathers turn to a yellowish tone. Ducklings and hatchable eggs can be purchased mail order from various hatcheries or can often be purchased locally at agricultural shops.
Hatchlings should not be given free access to swimming water unless they are hatched naturally by other ducks. In the wild, the mother duck will monitor her babies' swimming time. Without this parental guidance, and without being fully feathered to protect itself from the water, a baby duck will stay in the water until it gets sick. Also, a young duckling does not make enough preen oil to waterproof its plumage properly; in the wild it gets preen oil from its mother.
[edit] Sexing
When young, it is difficult to determine the gender of the duck. Venting a hatchling or young duckling can yield indistinguishable results.
When older, the male ducks acquire a curled tail feather called a drake feather, and their voice becomes very weak and muffled. The mature female develops a loud quack. Venting is also easier when the ducks are fully mature but is not necessary because of the readily apparent differences between males and females.
[edit] Mature Ducks
Adult Pekin ducks weigh approximately eight to eleven pounds, and vary from their young by their white plumage which can have a slight yellow tinge to it. The ducks have an upright carriage and a peculiarly upturned rump.
An adult Pekin will lay an average of 200 eggs per year. They will normally only lay one egg on any given day. They will lay their eggs in a place that they feel is safe. If they find an egg that another duck has already laid, they will trust the other duck's decision and lay its own eggs there. Ducks can often be tricked into laying eggs where you want them by placing a golf ball in a safe place where they are likely to lay.
Pekin ducks do not tend to be a broody breed, meaning they are not as likely to sit on their eggs until they hatch as other breeds of ducks might be. Some people will use a broody hen to sit on their duck eggs, while others prefer to use artificial means.
A Pekin duck does not tend to fly, though clipping their flight feathers or pinioning their wings will ensure that they will not be able to fly.
As with most waterfowl, the Pekin duck has weak legs and feet that are perfect for paddling through water rather than walking around on the ground. They are happiest when they have free access to water in which to swim and mate. When catching a Pekin duck it is important not to grab it by the legs but rather to grab by the neck. Ducks, like geese, have very strong necks.
While the mature female likes to have a safe, private place to lay her eggs, the ducks will generally tend to stick together.
[edit] Butchering and Eating
These ducks are ready for butchering at 6 to 8 weeks of age and produce more meat that is desirable for eating than other breeds of duck. Its meat is very tender and mild and well-suited for many menu options.
174 grams (about 6 ounces) of Pekin duck meat (based on meat taken from the leg) contains the following nutrition: [2]
- Calories: 310
- Total fat: 10g
- Cholesterol: 183mg
- Carbohydrates: 0
- Protein: 51mg
Duck also contains a higher level of tryptophan than turkey. Tryptophan is the chemical in turkey that causes the well-known drowsiness in humans who consume its meat.[citation needed]
[edit] Duck Eggs as Food
The eggs are slightly larger than a large chicken egg, and tend to have a more durable shell and stronger membrane which makes them harder to crack open than a chicken egg. Duck eggs have more protein, calcium and many vitamins, as well as more fat and cholesterol, per gram than a chicken egg.[3]
Duck eggs are very similar in flavor and texture to a chicken egg. They can usually be substituted for large or jumbo eggs in recipes.
[edit] Trivia
- It is widely believed that Donald Duck is modeled after a Pekin duck.
- The mascot of the insurance company Aflac is a Pekin duck.
- Most ducks used in restaurants or sold in grocery stores are Pekin ducks.
- Also known as "Long Island duckling" in reference to the first 9 ducks imported to Long Island in 1873. [4]
[edit] Recipes
- Sara Moulton at Food Network - Duck a l'Orange
- Cooks.com - Roast Duck with Orange Sauce
- Food Network Kitchens - Roast Duck
- Cooks.com - Peking Duck
[edit] Links
[edit] See also
- Peking Duck, a Chinese dish
- Waterfowl (Anatidae)
