12/08/2025
Theres actually a significant difference in rarity and productivity; with Appleyards being the best and rarer of the two. There are less that 5,000 Appleyards left, world wide. One hen can produced 59-70+ pounds of egg a year. More than double that of the best chicken breeds most some cases. Compared to the Welshies producing 37-56 pounds of egg are year, which is still impressive. Welsh harlequins typically lay a higher egg count, however, the Appleyards eggs are much larger. Also, the Appleyard hen grows and matures a lot faster, weighing up to 8 pounds, sometimes more, like many of our girls(9+). The welsh harlequin hen only gets around 4-4.5 pounds. They have about the same frame, but the Appleyard has twice the amount of meat on the bone, and it tastes better, too. This is why our 1 week old female Appleyards go for 25 a piece, and the Welshies only go for 20. The Silver Appleyard is the rarest domesticated production duck, on top of being the absolute best production duck period, with a fantastic temperament and a breathtaking plumage. But you get what you pay for, so always look for the red flags. Yes, they can have black bill. We hatched out several like that and they were 100% pure.
🚩 if hey don’t have a swoop in their bill and a bulbous head, they’re NOT a silver appleyard.
🚩 if they seem petite. These are not little ducks. They get as big as Pekins and have a heavy, forward posture.
🚩 #1 if they’re cheap. The breeders probably paid $30-$40 a piece for their hens as ducklings. If you find ducklings that are less than 25 a piece, or, if you find an adult hen for less that 100, you’re getting ripped off. They aren’t chickens, they eat more, live way longer, and produce for up to a decade. They’re an investment, unless they’re a mutt, in which case, they’d be a loss. That is unless you can trick someone into thinking they’re getting a deal. And lets be honest, the people in this county won’t spend a penny unless they believe they’re bending you over a barrel. Couple that with the fact that they have no concept of the value of research, and it’s that easy. I see it every day. So stay vigilant. It would be an enormous loss to humanity if these birds went extinct, due to simple negligence.
