The Rouen drake is a gorgeous breed of waterfowl that identifies the French city as the place they originated. Rouens are related in coloration to the wild Flying Mallard —
male drakes have a lustrous green head and neck, a wealthy purplish-brown chest, and metal grey penciling on the higher body, and feminine hens are mahogany brown with positive penciling of greenish-black or brown.
In this article, I am going to talk about the Rouen Drake profile and comparison to the duck, as well as Rouen Drake vs hen, duck, duckling, molting, feather, young, etc.
Some individuals seek advice from Rouens as Mallards however that’s incorrect as Mallards fly fairly simply and Rouens don’t.
A Rouen drake weighs at least 3 times that of a Mallard. Mature male Rouens weigh about 7 kilos and females are about 5 kilos.
Rouen Drake Breed Facts
Status:
Watch
Use:
Meat, Exhibition
Egg Color:
White
Egg Size:
Extra Large
Market Weight:
7-9 lbs
Temperament:
Docile
Rouen Drake History
Among the many home drakes raised by French farmers, a number of hundred years in the past have been some resembling massive Mallards.
Around 1800, these drakes reached England, the place they have been variously referred to as “Rhone,” for a space in southwest France, “Rohan,” for a Catholic Cardinal, “Roan,” a combination of colors, and eventually “Rouen,” for a city in north-central France”.
As soon as the Rouen arrived in England, breeders started to revamp the chicken by means of selective breeding.
They doubled its dimension, reworked its modern physique right into a thickset boat form, and improved its colors. In 1850, Mr. D. W. Lincoln of Worcester introduced Rouens to America and the breed quickly grew to become in style as a colorful, general-purpose farm duck.
“The Rouen was first included within the American Poultry Association (APA) Standard of Perfection in 1874 and has since been thought-about by breeders to be the final word exhibition duck for its magnificence, dimension, and problem concerning inbreeding really good present specimens.
Nevertheless, when you go to France to locate a pair of this breed, you can see them referred to as the Rouen Fonce.
Breeders started to revamp the Rouen duck breed as soon as it arrived in England, by means of selective breeding.
The breeders doubled the scale of the Rouen duck, reworked its modern body right into a thickset boat form.
They usually additionally improved the colors of this breed. The Rouen duck made its approach to America in 1850.
Mr. D.W. Lincoln of Worcester imported the duck, and the breed quickly grew to be in style as a colorful, normal goal duck breed which is appropriate for elevating farms.
The Rouen duck was admitted into the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection in 1874.
Right now the Rouens are most likely the second most popular meat duck breed in North America. They’re primarily in style for his or her magnificence, dimension, and character.
Rouen Drake Description
Rouen drakes are available in two distinct shapes. The Standard Rouen drake is an enormous duck that reaches weights between 9 and 10 kilos.
It has a horizontal carriage, a big, blocky body with a deep, stage keel, and it again arches from shoulders to tail.
The top is spherical with a medium dimension invoice that’s concave alongside the highest line.
The manufacturing Rouen averages two kilos lower than the Customary Rouen and has a trimmer physique and extra upright carriage. It’s not thought-about endangered.
The Rouen drake has a darkish yellow invoice, vivid orange shanks and ft, and black eyes. His head, higher neck, and tail are darkish green, decrease neck and breast are darkish brown, higher again is darkish grey, and decrease physique mild grey.
A white band encircles his neck and a diagonal white/blue/white line crosses his wings.
A Rouen duck has a brown bill, darkish orange shanks and ft, and black eyes. It additionally has the diagonal coloration sample on her wings, however, the remainder of her plumage is brown with black texturing.
Breeders have additionally developed and exhibited Black, Blue, Fawn, and Pastel varieties, which haven’t been accepted by the APA.
Rouen ducks are docile birds that might be valued for his or her meat. They’re poor layers, producing solely 35-125 eggs yearly, however, they make positive roasting drakes and have plentiful, delicately flavored flesh.
This unsurpassed connoisseur high quality comes at a worth, although, as Rouen drakes are sluggish to mature.
Whereas this sluggish maturation (6-Eight months) makes them impractical for business meat production, Rouens are appropriate for the house or small farm.
When selecting Rouen drake breeders, emphasis ought to be positioned on vigor, sturdy legs, massive dimension, good physique size, deep keels which might be straight and stage, horizontal physique carriage, and correct coloration markings”
In Standard Rouens, overdeveloped keels could cause breeding issues for drakes so it’s suggested to retain some males for breeding that aren’t as excessive in dimension and keel improvement.
Standard drakes are so heavy that they have a tendency to crush their eggs if allowed to incubate them.
Rouen Drake Behavior
The Rouen is kind of a plump, imposing however stately chicken. As a consequence of its massive size, the Rouen has popularity as a top-quality roasting chicken however it’s now thought to be being a sluggish grower, taking on a yr to achieve full dimension.
The females are a combination of brown/greenish-black and the drakes have great iridescent green heads with black purplish bodies.
They’re extra simply tamed than the Mallard and have a barely lazy air about them. They’re additionally comparatively quiet.
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