The Mallard duck
is the ancestor of almost all domestic breeds of ducks and clearly that of the
Rouen. Though marked with the same color pattern as Mallards, with drakes
having green heads, white collars, claret breast and a blue patch on the wing,
Rouens are even brighter in color and larger in size than Mallards. The Rouen
was developed in France and was admitted to the American Standard in
1874. It is still considered the superior meat bird in Europe, where much more
duck is consumed than in America. In the U.S., Rouens are raised primarily for
the restaurant market. These ducks are excellent foragers, calm in disposition
and unlikely to fly. Drakes mature at about 8 pounds and ducks at about 7
pounds. Laying rate varies; some strains average 100 eggs per year and other
over 150.
Status: Watch.
The Rouen is one of the more common non-commercial ducks in the U.S. Its market
seems to be growing since it produced leaner meat than the Pekin, the standard commercial duck in the U.S. Exhibition
Rouens do not have the production qualities that production types do.
Reference:
The American
Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Box 477, Pittsboro, N.C. 27312
Photographs:
Watt Publishing, 122 S. Wesley Ave., Mt. Morris, IL 61054 USA
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