***Could any one with a blue egg laying magpies for sale
please contact Mike at mhatcher@farming.co.uk
WARNING; if most
breeds of domestic ducks are interbred a black and white
bibbed or patched bird normally results which is
not a Magpie
Links http://www.cyborganic.com/People/Feathersite/Poultry/Ducks/Mags/BRKMagpie.html
The following
article is reprinted from one of our
Yearbooks
Magpie
Ducks:
That this breed is
now getting the popularity and recognition it deserves in
the British Isles is very pleasing to me as it has long
been one of my favourites. It was in the 1970's that
imports to the U.K. from our fellow member in the U.S.A.
Darrel Sheraw again started a once popular breed on an
upward curve again. M first folks over here were very
keen but then realizing the problems of producing a near
perfect specimen some fell by the wayside. Very near the
start of my association 20 years ago I remember
discussing them with Vernon Jackson. I recall his saying
to me that we didn't need to have imported the stock as
we already had the raw material in this Country. I had
the two breeds and used a Fawn & White Runner drake
onto a Cayuga duck with quite satisfying results. It has
also answered for me quite a few of the recurring
problems that happen when breeding Magpies. The lines
under the eyes of ducks, the marks on the breast, the
black branch down behind the legs, the lacing sometimes
seen under the wings and the spotted beak turning to a
cucumber colour in late life, all speak of the
parentage.
They do also have a
reasonable appetite and the drakes make good eating, the
colour pattern meaning you don't get black stubs on the
breast. They also have the advantage that you can select
reasonably marked specimens at day old.
The history of the
breed does suggest it was originated in 1918-191 9
period. In the 1921 Feathered World Yearbook it was
reported how hardy they were, one breeder reared 285 In
1920 with only three deaths! An advert late in the book
by Oliver Drake of Holme in Yorkshire shows a group of
approaching 20 birds saying this new commercial breed has
a flock average of 185 large eggs. Again in the 1923
Yearbook two photos of Magpies one of a drake and one of
a pair appear, the latter purchased from Oliver Drake for
Captain Greenaway - more of him later. As these plus
Runners and Campbell's were the only breeds illustrated
it showed how their popularity had risen.
By 1923 they were
being shown in consistent numbers, at the Crystal Palace
20 in 2 classes. In Birmingham 2 classes mustered 17
entries. Now to Olympia where there were a number of Club
Shows, including the Waterfowl Club, Buff Orpington,
Magpie and Coaley Fawn (where did they go) 7 classes for
Buff Orpington produced 1 13 entries. Again the Magpie
entries in 2 classes were 20.
An interesting little
aside in my research is that in the 1923 Yearbook a full
page advert appears from the Abacot Duck Ranch owned by
Oscar Gray, Friday Wood, Colchester and amongst his
breeds listed are Magpie Ducks and Hooded Rangers (our
original Abacot Ranger's)..........Old illustrations all
seem to show one characteristic which is now under
debate. The slightly dished bill has until the last year
always been seen in the best birds and as I said before
Captain Greenaway who became Lord Greenaway, came into
the equation from another side in that his poultry
manager, J.S. Parkin, brought the title Stanbridge Earls
Poultry Farm with him to Kent when he came to work for
Lord Greenaway.
From the white sports
of the Magpie they developed the Stanbridge Whites, a
utility white duck which had a slightly dished bill. Over
the last 20 years or so it was fairly easy to spot 'White
Campbell's" which were not so and which had the aforesaid
dished bill and if penned a green egg in the
showpen.
Magpie Ducks as I said
at the outset now seem to have again attained their
former glories. Not only in the original Black &
White but the Blue & White also which have been
around since before World War 11. Dun & White have
made appearances but no-one seems to have consistently
bred for this one colour. We hear of Chocolate &
White on the Continent also Lavender & White over
here but this colour seems to be open to debate as the
Blue & White is actually a fairly light blue.
Congratulations to the breeders of the top class
specimens being shown and also the judges with the
courage to put up a marked bird, in contrast to a
self-colour.
Finally a tip for the
newcomers to the breed. You can breed well-marked drakes
from well-marked parents, but to get your ducks right you
need somewhere around a 50% black marked duck to your
perfect
drake.
Black
Magpies.
