Looking for a hardy duck breed with beautiful blue feathering and decent meat and egg-laying performance? Look no further than the Blue Swedish duck!

Quick Facts About The Blue Swedish Duck
Origin:	Pomerania (a part of Sweden)
Size:	Drake: 8 pounds
	Female: 7 pounds
Egg Production:	130 to 180 eggs per year
Egg Size:	Large
Egg Color:	White eggs with occasional blue or gray-tinted eggs
Conservation Status:	Watch List
Primary Purpose:	Meat and egg production

Blue Swedish Duck Origin and History

The origin of the Swedish breed can be traced back to the country of Pomerania back in 1835, which was a part of the kingdom of Sweden at the time. Hence, the name Swedish duck.

This region bestrides northwest Poland and Northeast Germany today.

It was first imported to the United States in 1884 and was accepted into the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection in 1904.

But obtaining a real Blue Swedish duck is challenging because it doesn’t breed true.

When a blue drake and blue female mate, only 50% of the offspring is blue. The other 25% will be black and the remaining 25% will be splashed or silver.

Breeding Black Swedish with Silver or Splashed has a higher chance of producing true Blue Swedish.

Other breeders utilize two pens; one pen contains male Black Swedish ducks with Silver females while the other has Silver Swedish males with Black females.

These pens can produce 100% Blue Swedish ducklings.

Blue Swedish Duck’s Distinguishing Characteristics

This breed boasts an attractive blue coloration with a white bib running from under the bill to halfway down their breast. There are also splashes of white on their wings which create a beautiful contrast.

Swedish ducks have an oval head, a medium-sized bill that’s nearly straight along the top line, and a stocky body with a carriage around 20 degrees above horizontal.

The breed’s size and shape are similar to medium-sized Rouen ducks.

Blue Swedish is the standard variety but there are also Black, Silver, or Splashed color variations.

How do you tell the difference between a male and female black Swedish duck?

You can tell them apart through their bills and size differences. Blue Swedish drakes have greenish-blue bills while their female counterparts can be distinguished through their bluish-slate-colored bills.

Furthermore, males are larger than females. On average, Blue Swedish ducks weigh 6.5 to 8 pounds but the standard for adult drake is 8 lbs while females should be around 7 lbs.

Blue Swedish Duck Temperament and Disposition

Whether you’re planning to raise Blue Swedish ducks as pets or for egg and meat, it’s worth considering their personality to ensure they can blend with your existing flock.

Swedish Duck Egg Production

How many eggs does a Blue Swedish duck lay?

Blue Swedish ducks can produce 130 to 180 eggs per year. It’s not as prolific as other breeds like Khaki Campbell but their eggs are large, weighing around 65 to 90 grams and they’re pretty as well.

What color eggs do Blue Swedish ducks lay?

Their eggs are usually white but others can occasionally produce blue, gray, or green-tinted eggs. Black Swedish duck eggs are also similar to the Blue standards.

Cornish Cross is one of the most popular meat birds. At about 6 to 8 weeks, they can weigh anywhere between 4.5 to 6 lbs. Heavier weight can happen depending on the final grow out duration. It has been recorded some Cornish Cross reached 10 to 14 lbs using a well-managed care and feeding program. This breed is known for an excellent feed conversation, livability, strong legs, and a maximum white meat yield with a plump full confirmation.

Cornish Cross have a docile chicken with very little interest in anything other than water and food. They grow so quickly so their attitude and temperament is rather low compared to most other breeds.

This chicken is not one you would get if you are looking for great egg production. Cornish Cross usually have significant health issues by the time they hit 8 to 10 weeks because of their rapid growth. There have been cases people have been able to keep their hens past their slaughter date, but it not recommended for this breed.