Dendermond Duck

Facts about Dendermonde Ducks. The Dendermonde Duck is among the most peculiar breed of ducks. Not only can you raise the Dendermonde Duck breed for meat and eggs, but also keep it as a pet. The Dendermonde duck is a duck that regularly comes up in the history of our other native duck breeds. The Termonde is often confused with Pomeranian or Blue Swedish ducks and others and they say these breeds descend from the Dendermonde.
A fully mature Dendermond duck weighs around ten pounds (4.5 kg) in captivity. Since the duck is usually raised indoors and not exposed to sunlight, the duck has a white coat and sometimes with a brown tinge. When you compare the Dendermond duck with most dabbling ducks, you realize that it assumes a more upright stance. During maturing, the male duck’s vocalization will weaken as that of the female develops to a louder quack.

Like most other ducks, determining the sex is a very tricky challenge. The fact that the duck has no external genitals leaves you with no choice but to gently force the cloaca to open slightly and therefore view the sexual organs.

The eggs of the Dendermonde Duck hatch easily and are very forgiving of any variations in humidity and temperature. Unfortunately, this is a less broody duck. A Dendermonde Duck egg has twice the nutritional value than a chicken egg and will stay fresh longer because of their thicker shell.
Dendermonde Duck eggs are richer with more Albumen "the white of an egg" making pastries and cakes richer and fluffier. A Dendermonde Duck Egg has more Omega 3 fatty acids than a chicken egg. Omega 3 is thought to improve skin health, memory and Brain health. Dendermonde 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. Dendermonde 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.

Features about the Dendermonde Duck Bill

A "bill" is what is call a Dendermonde Ducks mouth. There are no teeth in the ducks bill, they have rows of thin bristles, which helps them to filter pieces of nutrition out of the water. Dendermonde 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 Dendermonde Ducks 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 Dendermonde Duck to clutch food for feeding.

In the wild the male Dendermonde Duck will guard their nest by chasing away other ducks. Once the female Dendermonde Duck lays 5 to 8 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 Dendermonde ducklings are able to fly within 5 to 8 weeks.

The male adult Dendermonde Duck is called a (drake) and a adult female Dendermonde Duck is called a (hen). A young baby duck is called a (duckling). A group of ducks is called a brace, raft, team, flock, or paddling.

The Dendermond duck can be both an outdoor and an indoor pet. This is made possible because there are available products in the market that help in making the Dendermonde Duck a good companion, as well as maintain good hygiene around the home. Since the Dendermonde Duck is very adaptable to house life and a very successful as an indoor pet.

Dendermonde 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. Dendermonde Ducks on average, live 4 to 8 years and can live up to 12 years, depending on the breed. Dendermonde Ducks are omnivores; meaning - an animal that eats food of both animal and plant and origin.

Features about the Dendermonde Duck

Dendermonde Ducks have webbed feet, that makes them act like paddles, designed for swimming. They 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 will close for less water resistance. The Dendermonde Ducks paddle feet do not feel cold, even when it swims in cold icy water. The webbed feet makes a Dendermonde Duck waddle instead of walk. The Dendermonde 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 Dendermonde Ducks feet warm. Ducks feet are thin because they contain soft tissue and few muscles.

Scientific name for Dendermonde 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).
Dendermonde Ducks are birds in the Class of "Aves". Dendermonde Ducks and all types are part of the bird family "Anatidae".
Dendermonde 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. The definition of Anatidaephobia is irrational fear that you are being watched by a duck.

Water-proof feathers of Dendermonde Duck

A special feature that the Dendermonde Duck has is its water-proof feathers, even when the Dendermonde 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 duck's tail which covers and spreads the outer coat of the Dendermonde Ducks feathers, which makes the duck water-proof. Underneath the water-proof coat are downy soft fluffy feathers which keep the ducks body warm. Dendermonde Ducks keep clean by being able to turn their heads completely backwards, and put their beaks into their feathers by preening themselves.

Dendermonde Ducks see in color with very good vision and can see well underwater. Ducks fly will fly in a “V” shape to makes flying easier.
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.

The 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.