category: food/groceries: poultry: canard

Pekin duck, white pekin duck, de.: Pekingente

Pekin ducks are a breed of the domestic duck and form a sub-family within the family of Anatinae. Pekin ducks are available in an American and a German breed variety, which look almost identical. They have a long and broad, massive body with a full breast and white plumage. Their bill is short and stands out level, the full forehead and broad cheeks are among their prominent identifying features. Bill and feet of Pekin ducks should always be yellow.

Male Pekin ducks reach their average selling weight of 3.5 kg (9 lbs) in seven to eight weeks. Female ducks weigh 3 kg (6 lbs) on average after the same feeding time.

The American Pekin duck breed lays on average 200 eggs per year, the German breed 50-60, each egg weighing 70 g on average. The colour of the shell is white to yellowish.

Pekin ducks are the most popular duck breed in the United States and are seen as the typical duck. Outside of China Pekin ducks are the ducks used for the preparation of Chinese Peking duck.