Blue Swedish Duck

Facts about Blue Swedish Ducks. The Blue Swedish Duck was developed by farmers in the year 1835 in Pomerania which at that time was part of the Sweden, but today is known as northeast Germany, Holland and Belgium. The Blue Swedish Duck is a domesticated form of duck that is medium in size. Tradition held that blue colored ducks are hardy meat producers and a good camouflaged duck for predators to see, making the Blue Swedish Duck popular in Europe for centuries.

Reproduction of the Blue Swedish Duck

The Blue Swedish duck lay about 100 to 180 eggs every year and many of these eggs are white in color but some of them are occasionally green, blue or grey-tinted. The eggs weigh between 65 and 90 grams (2.29 to 3.17 oz) and their incubation lasts for around 20 days.

Features Blue Swedish Duck

The Blue Swedish Ducks resemble Rouen Ducks in size. The Blue Swedish Duck are smaller than geese and swans but are larger compared to mallards. Their body, is similar to the Pekin duck. The Blue Swedish Duck legs have a characteristic brownish color giving them an upright stance similar to that of Campbell ducks.

Blue Swedish Ducks exhibit sexual dimorphism where the males are heavier compared to the females. The males weigh about 6.6 to 8.8 pounds (2.99 to 3.99 kg) while the females average between 5.5 and 7.7 pounds (2.49 to 3.49 kg). The head of the Blue Swedish duck is of medium length, oval and has a straight bill. In terms of color, the plumage ranges from blue to slate grey feathering. The Blue Swedish Duck also have a white bib that runs from the chest all the way to the underside of the bill. The male Blue Swedish Ducks, head have a slightly darker blue coloration compared to their bodies. Their plumage has a glossy green hint.
As the Blue Swedish Ducks age, they develop white feathery around the bib. There is a crusted variety of the Blue Swedish duck that has been developed.

Blue Swedish Duck egg Features

A Blue Swedish Duck egg has twice the nutritional value than a chicken egg and will stay fresh longer because of their thicker shell.
Blue Swedish Duck eggs are richer with more Albumen "the white of an egg" making pastries and cakes richer and fluffier. A Blue Swedish Duck Egg has more Omega 3 fatty acids than a chicken egg. Omega 3 is thought to improve skin health, memory and Brain health. Blue Swedish Duck Eggs are an Alkaline producing food and a Chicken egg is an acid food and leaves your body more acid. Duck eggs are high in Cholesterol. Blue Swedish Duck eggs have 6 times the Vitamin D and 2 times the Vitamin A than a chicken egg. Duck eggs have 2 times the cholesterol than a chicken egg.

Blue Swedish Duck Adapting

The Blue Swedish ducks have a capability to stay afloat due to air sucks that are present in their bodies which enhance their buoyancy. Their feathers are effective in trapping air that also helps them to keep afloat. The substance that covers their feathers is water proof and keeps them dry and warm. This coupled with the webbed feet make it easy for them to maneuver even in deep waters.

"Scientific name for Blue Swedish Duck Anas Platyrhynchos" meaning - Wild dabbling duck from which domestic ducks are descended; widely distributed. From New Latin "anas" meaning (Duck) and the word Platyrhynchos comes from "platyrrhine", Ancient Greek meaning (broad snouted, flat-bridged nose).
Blue Swedish Ducks are birds in the Class of "Aves". Blue Swedish Duck are part of the bird family "Anatidae". Blue Swedish Ducks are also called "waterfowls" they are generally found in places were there is water, such as ponds, rivers, streams, lakes and occasionally your back yard pool.

Blue Swedish Ducks are related to geese and swans and the duck is the smallest of these birds with shorter wings and neck and a stocky body. Blue Swedish Ducks on average, live 4 to 8 years and can live up to 12 years, depending on the breed. Blue Swedish Ducks are omnivores; meaning - an animal that eats food of both animal and plant and origin. The male Blue Swedish Ducks (drakes) are the brightly colored ducks while the female (hen) are usually a plain colored brown for hiding purposes to be camouflaged from their enemies when they are sitting in their nests.

Blue Swedish Duck Water-proof feathers

A special feature that the Blue Swedish Duck has is its water-proof feathers, even when the duck dives underwater, its downy under-layer of feathers will stay totally 100% dry. There is a special gland called the "Preen Gland" also called Oil Gland or Uropygial, that produces oil that is near the Blue Swedish Ducks tail which covers and spreads the outer coat of the Blue Swedish Ducks feathers, which makes the duck water-proof.

Features about the Blue Swedish Ducks Feet

The Blue Swedish Ducks have webbed feet, that makes them act like paddles, designed for swimming. The Blue Swedish Duck push their webbed paddle feet back in a kicking motion, this allows them to move swift through the water and when the feet come back, they close for less water resistance. The Blue Swedish Ducks paddle feet do not feel cold, even when it swims in cold icy water. The webbed feet makes a Blue Swedish Duck waddle instead of walk. The Blue Swedish Ducks feet have capillaries which help blood flow to their feet. The warm blood flow down the leg and creates a heat exchange system. When the blood flows down the leg, it meets the cold blood and is warmed up to keep the Blue Swedish Ducks feet warm. Blue Swedish Ducks feet are thin because they contain soft tissue and few muscles.

Features about the Blue Swedish Ducks Bill

A "bill" is what is call a Blue Swedish Ducks mouth. There are no teeth in the Blue Swedish Ducks bill, they have rows of thin bristles, which helps them to filter pieces of nutrition out of the water. Blue Swedish Ducks swallow there food whole and it goes to an organ called a gizzard, were the food is first ground up and than moves on to the stomach. The different bill shapes and sizes for finding food, has over time mutated to fit each environment. The bill is flat and broad and has rows of fine incision along the outer edge called "lamellae". meaning a thin membrane, plate, scale or layer, as of cell wall or bone tissue. The larnellae helps the Blue Swedish Duck to clutch food for feeding.

Underneath the water-proof coat are downy soft fluffy feathers which keep the Blue Swedish Ducks body warm. Blue Swedish Ducks keep clean by being able to turn their heads completely backwards, and put their beaks into their feathers by preening themselves.

The male Blue Swedish Duck will guard their nest by chasing away other ducks. Once the female Blue Swedish Duck lays 5 to 10 eggs, she will start to sit on her eggs to keep them warm so that they can hatch into baby ducklings. The eggs will hatch on average within 26 to 28 days. Baby ducklings are able to fly within 5 to 8 weeks. Ducks will lay more eggs, when there is more daylight, that's why farmers will keep the lights on in the ducks house for longer periods of time.

A Blue Swedish Duck is a Precocial (meaning) Born or hatched with the eyes open, a covering of hair or down, capable of a high degree of independent activity from birth and able to leave the nest just a few hours after hatching.
An male adult Blue Swedish Duck is called a (drake) and a adult female Blue Swedish Duck is called a (hen). A young baby Blue Swedish Duck is called a (duckling). A group of ducks is called a brace, raft, team, flock, or paddling.

Blue Swedish Ducks see in color with very good vision and can see well underwater. Blue Swedish Ducks have three eyelids the third eyelid called nictitating membrane. They have a top and bottom as well as a third eyelid that is found on the side of the eye. The Blue Swedish Duck eyelid blinking acts as a windshield wiper to clear the eye. This helps to see when diving under water can also help the eye from drying out while flying. This is an act of constantly cleaning and keeping the eye moist.
Ducks fly in a “V” shape to makes flying easier.