Duck Breed Spotlight: Khaki Campbell

Breed History

The Khaki Campbell was first developed in Gloucestershire, England in the late 1800s by Adele Campbell. She wanted a duck that could supply her family with both eggs and meat. Using a Fawn and White Runner crossed with Rouens and Mallards, Mrs. Campbell created a duck that had the larger body while still retaining excellent egg-laying ability. 

The American Poultry Association first recognized the Campbell duck breed in 1941. Currently, there are 4 color varieties in North America: Khaki, Dark, White Sport and Pied. Only the Khaki variety is APA recognized.

Personality

The Khaki Campbell breed is an active breed that likes to move, so give them plenty of space in their run and housing. They are very good foragers and happily seek out weed seeds, insects, and worms to supplement their diet. If you want your ducks to be friendly toward humans when they mature, make sure the ducks are handled as ducklings as much as possible. The Khaki Campbell is sometimes described by some owners as skittish, but if handled correctly and often, they usually adapt to any caregiver.

Physical Attributes

The APA classifies the Khaki Campbell as a light-class breed. The average weight for a full-grown duck is around 4 to 4.5 pounds. The ducks lay an average of 165 to 240 eggs per year. The egg color is white and averages 75-85 grams in weight. Khaki Campbells tend to begin laying when they are 5 to 7 months old.

Is your goal to have duck eggs year-round? Consider getting Khaki Campbell ducklings in staggered ages so they mature at different times of the year for a continuous egg supply.

The Khaki Campbell drakes have khaki brown-colored bodies, dark coffee-colored heads that may have some green sheen to them, with dark tail feathers. The Khaki Campbell ducks are a more all-over khaki brown with slightly darker heads and necks. The duck’s head is not nearly as dark as the drake’s head, which is the easiest way to determine the gender of adult Khaki Campbells aside from the obvious drake feather.

Consider adding the Khaki Campbell duck breed to your homestead if you’re interested in keeping ducks for eggs and beauty. Do you already own this wonderful breed? Leave us a comment below and tell us what you enjoy about them.