Termonde Duck

Facts about Termonde Ducks. The Termonde Duck is thought to be the ancestor of the Huttengem duck and Merchtem duck. A widespread breed, the origins of the Termonde Duck are actually unknown. They are thought to have originated in the Dendermonde area in western Belgium.

The Termonde Ducks are sometimes called the Blue Termonde, resembles the Blue Swedish duck but has a white throat with an irregular border. The Blue Termonde is called the Bleu de Termonde in Belgium, the Blaue Termonde in German, Blauw Termonde in Dutch and Azulado Termonde in Spanish – all literally meaning the blue duck from Termonde. The Termonde Duck breed was common enough in the 1850s to be described in books at the time as the primary domestic breed in Belgium. Termonde Ducks were common in the Scheldt region in the 1800s. Termonde Ducks have a long, arched neck and carries its head well back. It has a long, blue beak and have a classic boat shape. The Termonde Ducks have a broad body and walk with the breast sticking out. Termonde Ducks have an even keel and horizontal carriage.
Termonde Ducks were primarily raised for its meat and they produce white meat.

Features of the Tremonde ducks

The Tremonde ducks usually have mostly blue feathers, although there are Termonde Ducks with black feathers, too. The outer primary feathers are sometimes white. The Blue Termonde duck feathers often have a black border. In some specimens, there is a white throat. Its legs and feet range from reddish brown to black. Their legs may have light colored flecks on them and they have dark eyes. Their bills are blue, like the Shetland duck, but always a dark blue, never sky blue like the Shetland.

The Termonde Duck breed matures slowly due to its large size and vigorous activity. The Termonde duck lays its eggs in August and September. It takes months to reach full size, whereas some other ducks reach their maximum size in ten weeks.

Termonde Duck eggs

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

Blue Termonde ducks lay eggs with a blue-white tint. The ducks lay several dozen eggs in a year, but they are not good brooders. They do not always brood (care) for their own eggs and ducklings.

Termonde ducks are rather hardy, though not as cold-tolerant as the Shetland duck. These are large ducks and the males can reach ten pounds (4.5 kg) at maturity. Females are slightly smaller at eight to nine pounds (3.6 to 4 kg) each. Males and females have a similar coloring pattern, whereas some other breeds have females much lighter or with more muted colors than the male.

Water-proof feathers of the Termonde Duck

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

The Termonde Duck are 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 Termonde Duck is called a (drake) and a adult female Termonde Duck is called a (hen). A young baby Termonde is called a (duckling). A group of ducks is called a brace, raft, team, flock, or paddling. 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 Termonde ducks are no longer the primary meat duck in Belgium, where it was popular for its large, meaty breast. The Huttengem breed, a cross of the Runner duck and Blue Termonde duck breed, took its place to be raised on a production scale there in the early 1900s. The Huttegem duck has a smaller, longer body. Termonde 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. Termonde Ducks on average, live 4 to 8 years and can live up to 12 years, depending on the breed.

About the Termonde Ducks bill

A "bill" is what is call a Termonde 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. Termonde 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 Termonde Duck 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 Termonde Duck to clutch food for feeding.

Features of the Termonde Ducks feet

Termonde 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 the Termonde Duck to move swift through the water and when the feet come back, they 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 Termonde Duck waddle instead of walk. The Termonde 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 Termonde Ducks feet warm. Termonde Ducks feet are thin because they contain soft tissue and few muscles.

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

The practice of raising ducks for meat has declined in popularity, and with it, both the Huttegem and Blue Termonde duck breeds. The Blue Termonde breed’s status is considered endangered; it is even rare in its native Belgium today.
Ducks are birds in the Class of "Aves". Ducks of all types are part of the bird family "Anatidae". Termonde 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 male Termonde Duck will guard their nest by chasing away other ducks. Once the female 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. Termonde 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.

Scientific name for Termonde 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).
Termonde Ducks fly in a “V” shape to makes flying easier.

Termonde Ducks see in color with very good vision and can see well underwater. Termonde 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 Termonde Ducks 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.