Ancona

The Ancona duck is a medium-sized domestic duck with a broken mottled pattern, most often black and white but also seen in chocolate, blue, lavender, and other colors depending on flock genetics. Its history is less tidy than the Ancona chicken's; the duck is generally traced to early twentieth-century British stock and later preservation by small breeders, with recognition varying by country and association. Anconas are mallard-derived ducks with a broad useful body, moderate growth, and good laying ability.

Homesteads often choose Anconas as dual-purpose ducks because they forage well, lay reliably for a heritage breed, and dress out better than bantams. They need secure night housing, clean bathing water, and bedding dry enough to protect feet and feathers. Breeding is more involved than pairing any two spotted birds; keepers select for balance between colored and white areas, sound body type, and strong hatchability. Nearly white, heavily marked, or crossbred birds may still lay well, but they should not be sold as quality Ancona breeding stock.

Colors: Apricot, Bibbed, Black, Black and White Mottled, Blue, Buff, Chocolate, Fawn, Gray, Magpie, Mallard, Penciled, Pied, Runner Pattern, Silver, White