Top Duck Breeds for 2025: A Guide to Your Feathered Friends

My Pet Chickens offers the best duck breeds for sale! We compiled our 2025 data to find out what duck breeds you, the customer, loved most. And we couldn't agree more with you! 

Ducks make great backyard pets. They are hardy, find a good portion of their own food, eat insects and weed seeds from the garden, and can be very entertaining while they wander around the backyard. There are also many great reasons to consider adding pet ducks to your backyard flock as a source of eggs.

Ducks are taking center stage in the backyard poultry world for 2025, and it’s no wonder—they’re not just adorable, but incredibly versatile! Whether you’re looking for egg production, meat, pest control, or simply a feathered companion to brighten your yard, there’s a duck breed for you. Here’s a roundup of the top-selling duck breeds for 2025 to help you choose the best fit for your flock.

1. Cayuga: Stunning Looks, Sustainable Choice

Cayuga ducks are a showstopper with their shimmering, iridescent black feathers that gleam green in the sunlight. These medium-sized ducks are prized for their calm temperament and unique eggs, which start off black or gray early in the season before fading to white. Bonus: they’re excellent foragers and great for natural pest control.

Both the male and female have a brilliant green sheen on their greenish-black feathers, though it is especially evident on the head of the male. And they have black or olive-colored bills, dark brown eyes, and dusky black to black shanks and feet. Interestingly, Cayugas turn almost all white after several years, and their black legs become orangish as they age.

Furthermore, their eggs have black or dark gray shells toward the beginning of the season, lightening to light gray, blue, green, or even white at season end.

• Eggs/year: 130–180
• Best for: Pest control, sustainable meat, and ornamental purposes

Read more about this breed in our Cayuga Duck Breed: The Complete Guide blog.

2. Runner Ducks

Initially bred in Southeast Asia, all Runners have ancestry that dates back to Java over 2000 years ago. They were mistakenly named “Indian” Runners when first imported to England in the 1850s because they arrived on a ship from India; the importing family finally disclosed in 1909 that these runners were from Southeast Asia.

Runner ducks are hardy because they typically cover hundreds of miles in their travels while foraging for seeds, insects, slugs, and other bugs. However, they are light in weight, so it isn't likely that they will trample your garden or yard.

They’re active, love to forage, and are excellent for keeping your garden slug-free.

• Eggs/year: 100–180
• Best for: Egg production and pest control

3. Pekin - Top Duck Breed for Sale in 2025

Pekin ducks are the top duck breed for sale in 2023! They remain the top pick for families and homesteaders alike. These large, white-feathered ducks are celebrated for their friendly demeanor, quick growth, and versatility. They’re a staple for both egg and meat production, not to mention an adorable addition to any pond.

Mature Pekins have pure white feathers, orange legs and bills, and blue eyes; as ducklings, they are fluffy and yellow and very cute. Pekin ducks are in the heavy class, weighing 9-12.25 lbs.

• Eggs/year: 150–200 extra large white eggs
• Best for: Meat production and family-friendly pets

4. Buff Duck

The Buff Duck, also known as the Buff Orpington Duck (yes, just like its chicken counterpart!), Buff ducks are elegant and laid-back, with a gorgeous apricot-tan plumage. Known for their dual-purpose qualities, Buffs are great egg layers and grow to a good size for meat. They’re friendly, making them a great option for families or first-time duck owners.

The female Buff Duck exhibits an entirely buff plumage, while the male boasts a buff body complemented by a seal brown head. Distinguishing features include the female's brownish-orange bill with a dark bean and the male's yellow bill. Both genders share brown eyes with a blue pupil, as well as orange-yellow shanks and feet.

Known for its serene disposition and adept foraging skills, the Buff Duck weighs between 5 and 6.25 lbs. It lays a substantial annual yield of 130-180 large (80-90 grams) white or tinted eggs. Despite breeding true in terms of color (meaning their offspring maintain the same coloration), Buff Ducks originated from a diverse lineage, including breeds such as Runners, Aylesburys, Rouens, and Cayugas.

• Eggs/year: 130–180
• Best for: Meat, eggs, and easygoing pets

5. Khaki Campbell Duck - The Queen of Egg Layers

If you’re after eggs, the Khaki Campbell is your go-to breed. The female has excellent egg production, laying between 165-240 large eggs weighing 2.5-3 ounces per year, and it has good mothering abilities. Khaki Cambell eggs will be pearly white, with a small percentage laying blue or green eggs. This duck weighs 3.5-4.5 lbs.

The male has a brownish bronze and warm khaki coloring, dark brown eyes, dark orange legs and feet, and a green bill with a black bean at the tip. The female is seal-brown and khaki, with dark brown eyes, brown legs and feet, and a greenish-black bill with a black bean on the tip.

• Eggs/year: 165–240
• Best for: High egg production

 

6. White Crested - Quirky and Eye-Catching! 

Who doesn’t love a duck with a pompadour? White Crested ducks are as fun as they are functional. Their unique crest makes them stand out in a flock, and while they’re good egg layers, they’re especially popular for their ornamental value.

The White Crested weighs 6-7.25 lbs and is an excellent breeder. The female lays 100-130 extra large, mostly white eggs, which lay 2.5-3 ounces annually. A small percentage may be tinted, blue, or green.

The males and females are entirely white, including the crest on their heads, and they have blue eyes, yellow bills, and light orange shanks and feet.

• Eggs/year: 100–130
• Best for: Ornamental appeal and egg production

 

7. Rouen Duck

Rouens look like larger, calmer versions of the wild Mallard, with the same vibrant plumage. They’re a top choice for meat production due to their size, but they also lay a decent number of eggs. Rouens are docile, making them a lovely addition to any backyard.

They have a calm disposition, and unlike Mallards, they do not fly. A Rouen duck weighs 5-7.25 lbs, about three times as much as a Mallard.We sell the non-show type of Rouen duck because they are better foragers, are more fertile, and lay more eggs. The females will lay 140-180 extra-large white, tinted, green, or blue eggs per year. Eggs will weigh 3-3.5 ounces.

• Eggs/year: 140–180
• Best for: Meat and ornamental purposes

8. Blue Swedish Duck - Reliable and Robust

A top duck breed for sale - the Blue and Black Swedish was developed in the Pomeranian area of Europe when it was a part of the Swedish Kingdom. These ducks were introduced to the USA in the late 1800s. Blue Swedish ducks are hardy and have good foraging abilities. They have a calm disposition and are similar in size to the Rouen duck.

They weigh 5-6.25 lbs and lay approximately 120-180 large white, tinted, blue, gray, or green eggs yearly. Eggs will weigh 3-3.5 ounces.

These medium-sized ducks are as hardy as they are beautiful, with striking blue-gray or black plumage accented by a distinctive white bib. They’re good layers, grow well for meat, and are known for their friendly personalities.

• Eggs/year: 120–180
• Best for: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat)

 

9. Mallard - The Classic Choice

Mallards are the quintessential duck breed with their iconic green heads and wild ancestry. These smaller ducks are excellent for naturalizing ponds, and their instinctive ability to fly makes them an exciting breed to raise. They’re also fantastic for preserving traditional duck traits.

All domesticated Mallards trace their roots to the wild Mallards of North America. These small, flying ducks belong to the Bantam Class and are beloved for their compact size, vibrant plumage, and natural parenting instincts. Our Mallards have retained their exceptional flying ability, which they showcase as early as 16 weeks old.

Mallards are excellent at hatching and raising one to two broods of ducklings each year.

Compact Size: Adults weigh just 2.25–2.5 lbs, making them easy to manage.
Stunning Appearance: Male Mallards develop their iconic green heads and white neckbands by 14–16 weeks, while females retain elegant brown plumage with iridescent purple wing feathers.

• Eggs/year: 60–120
• Best for: Natural ponds, ornamental, and conservation

Which Duck Breed is Right for You?

Whether you’re a seasoned poultry enthusiast or a beginner looking to start your flock, there’s a breed on this list that will suit your needs. From the high-egg-producing Khaki Campbell to the quirky White Crested or the versatile Pekin, ducks offer endless joy and utility.

No matter your choice, raising ducks can bring vibrancy and sustainability to your backyard. So why not make 2025 the year of the duck?