Huttengem Duck

Facts about Huttengem Ducks. The Huttegem Duck is genetically closer to the mallard group; however, it shows some of the peculiarities in the behavior and plumage; that is accordingly grouped in subgenus Melananas as more research is done on the incidence to place it in the best class.
Scientific name for Huttengem 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).
Huttegem Ducks are birds in the Class of "Aves". Huttegem Duck and Ducks of all types are part of the bird family "Anatidae". Huttegem 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.

The origin of the Huttegem Duck, there is not much known about it. It was originally kept as a laying breed that was kept in large numbers on the banks of the Scheldt River in the Oudenaarde region that flows in northern France and runs through Belgium to the North Sea.

Behavior & reproduction of Huttengem Duck

Huttegem Duck is a territorial and shy duck. It often seen in small flocks or pairs when walking. It often breeds throughout the year mostly in different areas.

Description of Huttengem Duck

Many people know it as a black river duck. The Huttegem Duck has a typical multicolored pattern that doesn’t occur in other breeds. It appears in two colors, blue and black with black marks on the back. The Huttegem Duck is one medium-sized duck with the male being bigger than the female.

Ecology of Huttengem Duck

However, the Huttegem Duck likes staying in streams and rivers during the day. Huttegem Ducks prefers very large open waters especially at night. The duck also likes water and this means that people keeping Huttengem ducks as pets should ensure that they provide water for them.

Diet of Huttengem Duck

Huttegem Duck is omnivore, which feeds off of pupae and larvae usually found on rocks, plant material, seeds, aquatic animals, small fish, crabs and snails. In addition, you can feed the Huttegem Duck using the modern food especially those that are domesticated in homes.

Water-proof feathers of Huttengem Duck

A special feature that the Huttegem Duck has is its water-proof feathers, even when the Huttegem 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 Huttegem Ducks tail which covers and spreads the outer coat of the Huttegem Ducks feathers, which makes the duck water-proof.

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

The Huttegem Duck was a originally a laying duck, but it graduated to the production of ducklings. The Huttegem Ducks were good layers in the winter. Farmers would be able to produce ducklings early enough for Easter for the dinner table. The Huttegem Ducks were such great layers they didn’t brood their eggs by themselves. They solved the problem by using the hens of a local chicken breeders, they were also called the Huttegem. The large chicken hens would have no problem sitting on a large number of duck eggs and would also raise the ducklings.
The average size of of the Huttegem Duck was 4.4 to 5 pounds (2 to 2.3 kg).

Huttegem Ducks are related to swans and geese and the duck is the smallest of these birds with shorter wings and neck and a stocky body. Huttegem Ducks on average, live 4 to 8 years and can live up to 12 years, depending on the breed. Huttegem Ducks are omnivores; meaning - an animal that eats food of both animal and plant and origin.

A Huttegem 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.

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

A male adult Huttegem Duck is called a (drake) and a adult female Huttegem Duck is called a (hen). A young baby Huttegem Duck is called a (duckling). A group of ducks is called a brace, raft, team, flock, or paddling. The male Huttegem Ducks (drakes) are the brighter colored ducks while the female (hen) are usually a plain colored for hiding purposes to be camouflaged from their enemies when they are sitting in their nests.

Huttegem 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 duck's paddle feet do not feel cold, even when it swims in cold icy water. The webbed feet makes a Huttegem Duck waddle instead of walk.

The Huttegem 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 Huttegem Ducks feet warm. Huttegem Ducks feet are thin because they contain soft tissue and few muscles.

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