Khaki Campbell ducks are one of the most popular domestic duck breeds due to their ability to lay eggs. Even though these ducks are smaller than meat birds, they produce meat with an excellent taste. They’re also easy to raise, and they do well in a wide range of environments.
Khaki Campbell Ducks Origins and Uses
These ducks are a fairly recent breed. They’re the result of breeding several ducks selected for their ability to lay eggs.
Mrs. Adele Campbell, a resident of Uley, Gloucestershire in England, wanted to preserve the genetics of an Indian Runner duck with an exceptional egg-laying ability. She bred this duck with wild birds, other Indian Runners, and Rouen ducks to create the first version of the breed that she introduced to other breeders in 1898.
Campbell decided to keep breeding the Khaki Campbell duck to improve its colors. The exact genetic makeup of this breed remains a mystery, but Campbell carefully selected birds that could lay more eggs than their peers to create this breed.
The Khaki Campbell duck is a popular breed among backyard breeders, small farms, and larger agricultural facilities. People primarily raise these ducks for the eggs, but some butcher them for the meat. It’s best to wait until these ducks reach eight to ten weeks of age before butchering.
Physical Characteristics of Khaki Campbell Ducks
Khaki Campbell ducks are medium-sized birds. From crown to tail tip, their height is somewhere between 20 and 25.”
These lightweight ducks don’t exceed 4.5 lbs for the males. The females are lighter at 3.5 lbs. Khaki Campbell ducks usually reach their adult weight between eight and ten weeks of age.
The name of the breed comes from its colors. These ducks have a khaki color that resembles the British army uniforms in use at the turn of the century. They have brown feet and a greenish bill.
Females have a light brown color. Males have darker feathers on their heads, necks, backs, and tails. These ducks have an angled carriage laced feathering and don’t molt.
There are variations in colors with Dark Campbell ducks and White Campbell ducks. Dark Campbell drakes have a green head and neck similar to Mallard ducks. White Campbell ducks have white feathers with an orange or yellow bill instead of a greenish bill that characterizes the breed.
You can find ducks that are the result of breeding between these different variations. They will often have the traditional khaki color, but you will find lighter feathers under their wings.
Compared to other duck breeds, Khaki Campbell ducks are small birds. They are close to large chickens in size and weight. However, they lay more eggs than any other domestic breed. They can swim and fly, but not as well as wild ducks. They’re also more active and better at foraging compared to other domestic breeds.
Do Khaki Campbell Ducks Fly?
The answer is yes; Khaki Campbell ducks are able to fly. They have strong wings and a low body weight that allows them to become airborne. However, their body is too large for them to fly over long distances.
Khaki Campbell Ducks Lifespan
Khaki Campbell ducks can live 10 to 15 years in captivity with the right diet and environment. Their chances of surviving in the wild aren’t good since this domestic breed doesn’t possess any survival instincts.
There are different factors that affect the lifespan of these ducks. Even though they are hardy and resilient, exposure to diseases like Duck Viral Enteritis or Duck Virus Hepatitis can be fatal.
Because they forage a lot, there is also a risk of exposure to toxins, mold, and decaying organic matter that can cause Botulism.
However, these ducks can live for many years without any health issues in the right environment. They are very resistant and do well in a wide range of weather conditions.
Khaki Campbell Ducks Diet
These ducks like to forage and will eat the insects and snails they find. However, they can’t live on foraging alone.
You will need to provide a quality waterfowl feed. Ingredients typically include wheat, soybean, rice, and snail shell powder. If possible, choose a feed with added vitamins and minerals. A well-balanced diet will help with egg and meat production.
Ducklings should eat a duckling or chick feed until they reach eight weeks. You can then use a grower’s feed until 16 weeks.
Khaki Campbell ducks should eat twice a day. They will typically eat 4.5 oz of feed in a day.
Khaki Campbell Ducks Breeding and Egg Production
If you get a purebred Khaki Campbell duck, you can expect 300 eggs a year. Keep in mind that egg production can vary slightly from one female to another and can decrease with age. If you get a duck that is a mix between Khaki Campbell and other breeds, you will get fewer eggs.
These ducks mate all year round. While they often have a favorite partner, they will mate with other ducks if they have the opportunity to.
Hens start laying eggs between five and seven months of age. They will typically keep producing eggs for six to seven years.
You will get medium-sized eggs with a white shell. The eggs weigh 2 to 2.5 oz. Hens will lay about five eggs a week at first, but production will increase to one egg a day once they reach maturity.
These ducks don’t have a strong instinct for brooding and mothering. Some individuals will hide eggs and build nests, but it’s best to use an artificial incubator. Eggs take 28 days to hatch.
Khaki Campbell Ducks Behavior
Khaki Campbell ducks are extremely friendly and gentle. They will imprint on humans if you spend time with them.
They’re an active breed. These ducks love having a space they can explore. A pond isn’t a necessity since these ducks are land birds, but they will enjoy swimming and splashing around in the water. Because foraging is a natural behavior of the breed, it’s important to give them plenty of space.
Khaki Campbell ducks are more easy-going than other domestic breeds. However, they can become skittish in an environment where children or other animals chase them.
You won’t see any aggressive or territorial behaviors unless you have more than one drake. Overall, Khaki Campbell ducks are gentle and passive birds.
They are quiet birds but can become vocal around other ducks or when it’s time to feed. You might notice different behaviors in social situations, such as head bobbing to indicate interest in mating.
Keeping Khaki Campbell Ducks as Pets
This duck breed is an excellent option if you want a pet. Khaki Campbell ducks are friendly and easy to care for. They will connect with humans if you interact with them as ducklings.
These ducks are very quiet compared to other domestic breeds. However, they can make noises when they get excited about food or when something scares them.
All ducks can be messy and dirty to some degree. Khaki Campbell ducks like to splash in the water and will forage in the mud. It’s possible to keep these birds clean with a little bit of daily maintenance for their environment.
Tips on Khaki Campbell Ducks Care
These ducks are easy to care for, which makes them ideal for novice duck owners. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Khaki Campbell ducks are primarily land ducks, but a pool or pond is a nice addition to their environment. It helps them be more active and can improve their hygiene.
- Water isn’t safe for ducklings. Keep duckling away from the pond or pool until they are three weeks to two months of age and know how to swim.
- Give your Khaki Campbell ducks plenty of room for exploring and foraging. Make sure there is nothing in their environment that could harm them if they ingest it.
- It’s best to have more than one Khaki Campbell duck. They do well with other backyard animals but prefer hanging out with other ducks.
- If possible, avoid keeping more than one drake to prevent aggressive behaviors.
- Khaki Campbell ducks lay plenty of eggs, but they need a healthy environment and a well-balanced diet to fulfill their egg-laying potential.
- Your Khaki Campbell ducks will need a duck house or duck coop with plenty of ventilation, fresh drinking water, and some dry bedding.
- These ducks are gentle and friendly. However, they can become stressed out if young children or animals chase them.
Khaki Campbell Ducks Cost
You can usually buy ducklings in batches of ten. Khaki Campbell ducklings are very affordable since you can get ten for around $65.
Adults are more expensive. Count on spending $12 for an adult female and $7 for a drake. The price of a female can vary based on her age and how many years of laying eggs she has left.
These ducks aren’t very expensive to feed. You can purchase duck feed for $3 to $4 per pound and pay even less if you purchase feed in bulk. Since Khaki Campbell ducks need 4.5 oz of feed a day, you shouldn’t have to spend more than a dollar a day on food per individual.
Khaki Campbell ducks are easy to find since they’re one of the most popular breeds for backyard breeding and farming. You can purchase ducklings from places like Tractor Supply Co.
You should also reach out to local breeders, farms, and hatcheries in your area.
Noteworthy Facts about Khaki Campbell Ducks
The Khaki Campbell duck breed is both fascinating because of its egg-laying capability and friendly behavior. Here are more things you might not know about this breed:
- The Khaki Campbell duck is the result of a breeder who wanted to preserve the egg-laying capability of an Indian Runner duck.
- This breed appeared in the US in 1929 when a breeder imported it.
- These ducks do well in a wide range of environments and can even live in areas with low temperatures.
- They lay more eggs than any other domestic breed.
- These ducks are roughly the same size as a large chicken but produce more eggs.
- Their eggs have a strong flavor and contain more protein compared to chicken eggs.
- The scientific name of these ducks is Anas Platyrhynchos Khaki Campbell.
- These ducks are easy to identify with their light brown color, brown feet, and greenish bill.
- Even though their large body keeps them from flying properly, these ducks can still become airborne over short distances.
Info Table
| Purpose | General purpose, eggs, meat |
| Country of origin | England |
| Breed Class | Light |
| Weight – Drake | 4 to 4.5 lbs |
| Weight – Hen | 3.5 lbs |
| Eggs per year | 300 |
| Egg size | Medium |
| Egg weight | 2.5 oz |
| Egg production age | Five to seven months |
| Diet | 4.5 oz of feed/ day, no specific dietary requirements |
| Lifespan | 10 to 15 years |
| Flying ability | Can fly, but limited capacity |
| Personality | Friendly and active |
| Distinguishing features | Lightweight birds, medium-sized, light brown color, males are darker. |
| Varieties | Khaki, dark, and white colors |
| Cost (USD) | $65 for ten ducklings, $7 for adult male, and $12 for adult female |