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For the Chinese dish, see Peking duck.
American Pekin ducks

The Pekin or Peking, also White Pekin, is a breed of domestic duck.[5][6] It originated in China and is now distributed in many countries, and in all continents.[5]

History

The mallard was probably domesticated in China before 1000 AD.[7]: 92  Force-feeding of ducks is documented from the tenth century, under the Five Dynasties.[8]: 593  Chinese people were sophisticated breeders of ducks. The Pekin is one of several breeds they created.[7]: 92 

In 1872, at the request of a businessman named McGrath, fifteen white ducks hatched in Peking were loaded at Shanghai by James E. Palmer, of Stonington, Connecticut, for shipment to the United States. Nine birds – six ducks and three drakes – survived the voyage, which took 124 days and reached New York City in March 1873.[7]: 92 [9]

The Pekin was included in the first edition of the Standard of Perfection of the new American Poultry Association.[7]: 92  It was soon in widespread use for production of birds for slaughter.[7]: 92 

The Pekin was introduced to Germany and to the United Kingdom in 1874. Birds in those countries may have a more upright stance than American birds.[7]: 94  The Entente Européenne d’Aviculture et de Cuniculture lists the American Pekin and the German Pekin as separate breeds.[3]

Pekin duck eggs.
A newly hatched Pekin duck

Characteristics

The plumage of the Pekin duck is creamy white. The legs and feet are a yellowish orange, and the beak is yellow.[10]: 193 . Drakes weigh approximately 4.1 kg and ducks about 3.6 kg.[11]: 438 

References

  1. ^ Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed February 2017.
  2. ^ APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties As of January 1, 2012. American Poultry Association. Accessed February 2017.
  3. ^ a b Liste des races et variétés homologuée dans les pays EE (28.04.2013). Entente Européenne d’Aviculture et de Cuniculture. Archived 16 June 2013.
  4. ^ Breed Classification. Poultry Club of Great Britain. Accessed August 2014.
  5. ^ a b Transboundary breed: Pekin. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed February 2017.
  6. ^ Transboundary breed: White Pekin. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed February 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Dave Holderread (2011). Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks, second edition. North Adams, Massachusetts: Storey Publishing. ISBN 9781603427456.
  8. ^ Alan Davidson (1999). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780192115799.
  9. ^ [s.n.] (February 1880). Pekin Ducks The Pet Stock Pigeon and Poultry Bulletin 10 (11): 1.
  10. ^ Carol Ekarius (2007). Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing. ISBN 9781580176682.
  11. ^ Victoria Roberts (2008). British poultry standards: complete specifications and judging points of all standardized breeds and varieties of poultry as compiled by the specialist breed clubs and recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 9781405156424.

Media related to American Pekin at Wikimedia Commons Media related to German Pekin at Wikimedia Commons

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