The Magpie duck breed is friendly and attractive. They are also excellent breeders that become meaty as adults. They aren’t a well-known breed, but they have a devoted fandom.
Magpie Ducks Origins and Uses
The breed did not originate in the wild, but its origin traces back to Welsh breeders M.C. Gower-Williams and Oliver Drake. They crossbred the Belgian Huttegem in the process and ended up with the Magpie. Isaac Hunter of Michigan brought the breed to the United States in 1963, over 100 years after Gower-Williams and Drake bred the first one.
The American Poultry Association recognized the breed in 1977. The APA first recognized the Black Magpie, then accepted the Blue Magpie a few years later.
Generally, Magpie ducks are beloved by their owners, so they don’t eat them. Some people do eat their meat, but because they are so small, they don’t have much meat to offer. Those who eat Magpie duck meat consider it a gourmet treat.
Physical Characteristics of Magpie Ducks
Magpie ducks have distinctive features.
Weight
Magpie ducks are light breeds that weigh between four and five pounds as adults. They have a streamlined body, much like Runner ducks.
Markings
They have unique markings with a predominantly white background and markings on their crowns, their backs, and tails. The markings are usually black or blue, with nonstandard chocolate, dun, and white. Their most distinctive marking is the one on the top of their heads, making them look like they have a dark cap on.
When they hatch, their color pattern is already established. What you see on a duckling, you will see on the adult.
Shape
They also have long bodies with broad heads. Usually, they carry their bodies about 15 to 30 degrees above horizontal when they aren’t stressed. They become more upright when they are stressed.
Male vs. Female
Female Magpie ducks are smaller than males, but only by a pound or a half of a pound. They become adults by the time they reach 10 weeks of age. They often live for up to 12 years.
Comparison to other duck breeds
It is easy to identify Magpie ducks because of their markings. The closest breed is the Indian Runner, and experts speculate that they are related. The two breeds have similar shapes, behaviors, and temperaments.
Do Magpie Ducks Fly?
Magpie ducks will flap their wings and get a few inches off of the ground, but they cannot fly. Most domesticated duck breeds attempt to fly, but cannot. Your Magpie ducks might be able to move a few feet in the air, but you don’t have to worry about them flying away. To keep them in their pens, make sure your fence is taller than two or three feet.
Magpie Duck Lifespan
Magpie ducks have a lifespan between 8 and 12 years. As Magpie ducks were bred in captivity, you won’t see them in the wild, even in their native Wales. They are popular ducks to keep as pets because they are so friendly and cute. But, some people do keep them to eat, if they can find the strength to eat something so kind and sweet.
Magpie ducks are good choices for domesticated pets because they do not have any known health issues. If you choose to breed them, choose ducks from families that have a history of notable egg production.
However, they need someplace to regularly swim so their preening gland stays active. Swimming time prevents ducks from mites and flea infestations. If you keep your ducks in a flock, you should have them dewormed so they do not make each other sick.
Magpie Duck Diet
Magpie ducks forage and hunt for insects and seeds in grassy areas as well as fish in the water. They like to eat slugs and snails, so many farmers like to keep them so they no longer have to worry about liver fluke in their cattle.
If you keep ducklings, you can feed them waterfowl starter crumbles for their nutritional value. They will also eat standard poultry feed or game bird feed to give them added protein, especially in colder climates.
Magpie ducks enjoy foraging for the majority of their diet. Giving them free range and access to a pond gives them the opportunity to find their favorite foods like tadpoles, frogs, berries, little lizards, mosquitoes, crawfish, and seeds.
Like other duck breeds, Magpie ducks need clean water for drinking and water for swimming. They also need a clean place to sleep and a coop that gives them protection from the weather. Magpie ducks also need a place to run around, when they aren’t looking for food.
Feed your ducks in the morning and the evening, being sure they have access to nutritional food. They need about six or seven ounces of food at each feeding.
Magpie Breeding and Egg Production
Magpie ducks do not breed for life, instead, they pair for a season. Breeders usually pair one drake with five hens, and an active drake tends to successfully father more hatchlings. Drakes that come from healthy hens with strong legs tend to have healthier ducklings. Magpie drakes have active libidos, so they can impregnate more hens than other duck breeds.
Hens can lay eggs when they reach 25 to 30 weeks of age. They can continue laying eggs until they are around eight years old. The eggs hatch after 18 or 19 days, which is faster than most other breeds. Most Magpie hens lay six eggs, then sit on them. Each year, one hen can lay between 220 and 290 eggs that weigh under three ounces.
Unlike other breeds, Magpie hens consistently sit on their eggs. However, breeders might want to use incubators to help the eggs develop. Once the eggs hatch, Magpie hens take care of their babies. They watch after them and train them. Some hens do not fit the mold, so breeders should keep a well-known brooder around in case a new mom ignores her hatchlings.
When hens do not take care of their hatchlings, they can be trampled or killed by other larger ducks in the coop or on the run. Magpie drakes can be rough with slow ducks. If a Magpie uses its bill to move a hatchling, they might be irritated by its slowness.
Magpie eggs have a distinctive look with a greenish-blue color and brown speckles. Hens usually lay their first eggs in the springtime.
Magpie Behavior
Magpie ducks are friendly, calm, and docile, making them ideal for domestication. They interact with other ducks and birds without much trouble at all. If you keep a drake and hens of the same breed together, you can keep various breeds on a farm.
Magpies will intermingle with other ducks, but you should introduce the breeds to each other slowly so they can familiarize themselves with different looks and sounds. Magpies are not always easy to find from hatcheries, so no one wants to lose one in a duck fight.
Magpies can have tempers, but not usually with their human caregivers.
Keeping Magpie Ducks as Pets
Magpie ducks are wonderful pets because they often imprint on their humans. They are friendly, cute, and docile animals that occasionally have temper tantrums – much like humans do. They are good with children, especially if children handle them gently.
Even though they’ve been in the United States since the 1970s, many consider them to be a rare breed. In general, when they are calm, Magpie ducks are quiet. But, they can get loud if they are threatened. They will quack, but they also coo, growl, hiss, whistle, purr, and squeak.
Along with being quiet, they do not smell bad. Usually, when ducks have an odor, it is because their coops or runs have a problem. If you keep the coop clean, then your Magpie ducks will not smell bad.
Most ducks startle easily, but Magpies react less than Indian Runners. When comparing them to other breeds, Pekin, Rouen, and Khaki Campbells tend to panic less than Magpies do when startled.
If you have one Magpie, you should have a second as they enjoy being around other ducks.
Tips on Magpie Duck Care
Magpie ducks need space to run and swim. They prefer not to be confined, and they like having a garden where they can freely roam. You can fence in their area, as long as it is big enough that they can forage and swim. People with Magpie ducks appreciate that their gardens are pest-free, as Magpies eat most annoying yard and garden pests like mosquitoes and slugs.
Magpie ducks can handle most weather conditions, as the breed originated in Wales where four seasons happen. As they are a hardy breed, Magpies do not need anything special in their coops and runs.
Their perfect coop should be ventilated and insulated so they can exist comfortably in the heat and cold. They also need a duck pond, which could be a kiddie pool or a small shallow pond. They prefer a pond because they can find tasty treats in it. To keep the pond healthy, consider installing a fountain.
Magpie Duck Cost
Magpie ducks cost between $10 and $20 USD. You can buy them from reputable breeders all over the United States. Before investing in the breed, research the breeder and visit them to see the ducks in action. You can buy feed at any farm feed store.
Noteworthy Facts about Magpie Ducks
- The American Livestock Breed Conservancy considers Magpie ducks a critically endangered breed.
- Adult Magpie hens have straight feathers on their tails.
- Adult Magpie drakes have curly feathers on their tails.
- The color pattern on a hatchling stays with the duck for life.
- Magpie ducks have orange feet and legs.
- Some people show their Magpies, with the only standard color combinations being black and white or blue and white.
- Magpies have yellow or orange bills.
- Magpie ducks earned their names because their color is similar to the European Magpie crow with their black backs and white bellies.
- Older Magpie ducks can have green bills.
- The German Altrhein Elsterenten duck has the same plumage as the Magpie.
Info Table
| Purpose | Domestication, Food |
| Country of origin | Wales |
| Breed Class | Light |
| Weight – Drake | 5 pounds |
| Weight – Hen | 4.5 pounds |
| Eggs per year | 220-290 |
| Egg size | Medium |
| Egg weight | 3 ounces |
| Egg production age | 25 to 30 weeks |
| Diet | Foraging |
| Lifespan | 8-12 years |
| Flying ability | No |
| Personality | Docile, calm, friendly |
| Distinguishing features | White plumage with black markings |
| Varieties | Black or blue |
| Cost (USD) | $15 to $20 |