Khaki Campbell Duck: Care Guide, Size, Eggs, and More…

Are you looking for a beginner-friendly duck that will lay lots of eggs?

Well, look no further than the Khaki Campbell!

These independent ducks are excellent foragers and will spend most of their time waddling around your backyard looking for their next meal.

They can be a bit hesitant and skittish at first but once they get used to their keepers and environment, they are friendly birds who will curiously waddle up to you.

Are you interested in learning more about the Khaki Campbell Duck?

Read on below for everything you need to know, from appearance, to personality, to egg laying and much more…

Khaki Campbell Duck Overview

The Khaki Campbell Duck is an English Duck that is best known for laying eggs.

They are one of the best beginner duck breeds around and will thrive in large backyards and small homesteads.

These ducks are often kept by backyard flock owners as they can depend on these birds for a constant supply of fresh eggs. They can lay anywhere from 180 to 300 eggs per year.

Although they can be skittish they are incredibly inquisitive and can be quite entertaining to watch.

For the most part they are happy to do their own thing without much hassle and worrying from their owners.

Overall, the Khaki Campbell Duck is a great option for potential first-time duck owners.

Appearance

Many times a Khaki Campbell Duck will be mistaken for your typical Mallard duck!

Khaki Campbells have a boat shaped body with long necks and light or dark khaki colored feathers and wings.

They can have either a green or black bill depending on the gender with legs ranging from dark orange to brown. Many times, females will have dark features, including dark khaki feathers and wings while males have lighter features, including light khaki feathers and wings.

You can also expect to see a few tufts of white on their chest.

These beautiful feathers are what allow Khaki Campbells to be as hardy as they are.

Their skin color can range from white to slightly yellow depending on the type of feed they are given.

Size and Weight

Khaki Campbell Ducks are classified as medium-sized and typically do not reach weights heavier than 4.5lbs for both males and females.

• Females will average around 3.5-4lbs.
• Males will weigh around 4-4.5lbs.

They average around 1.5-2 feet in height and there is currently no bantam version of the Khaki Campbell.

Hen Vs Drake

How do you tell if a Khaki Campbell Duck is male or female?

One of the simplest ways to tell is by their appearance.

Males often have dark orange legs and feet, while the females have brown legs and feet. Females will often have lighter colored heads and necks compared to their male counterparts too. Finally, males tend to have slightly larger bodies and necks.

You can also tell between a male and female by their quack.

Females will often have a much louder and raspier quack than the male.

What Is It Like To Own A Khaki Campbell Duck?

The Khaki Campbell Duck is an independent bird that is not naturally sociable towards humans or other animals.

However, with time these ducks can become trusting and social with their keepers.

You will find that your Khaki Campbell absolutely loves to free range and they should be given enough space to do so. Failing to give your ducks this space could actually result in some pretty serious temperament issues. Also keep in mind that they are not heavy enough to deter them from flying off when frightened or threatened.

If you are worried about your ducks flying off then consider investing in a penned free-range setup.

This duck breed is not particularly noisy as far as duck breeds go, though you may hear them quack to themselves from time to time.

Personality

The Khaki Campbell Duck is known to be quite skittish if introduced to an unfamiliar person, animal, or environment.

They are smart and inquisitive ducks and will become social and friendly with their keepers and surroundings given some time.

Khaki Campbells are curious and also quite independent. They are perfectly content to be left to their own devices. In fact, it can be very entertaining to watch as they patrol your backyard searching for treats. These ducks are high energy and should be given enough space to let them put that energy to some good use.

Egg Production

Although Khaki Campbell Ducks are dual purpose and are well known for both their egg and meat production, their egg laying is a dream.

They can lay around 180-300 medium sized, white eggs per year. They lay all year round and will start laying as early as 21 weeks old.

You can expect them to lay eggs all year round for up to 9 years if they are healthy.

Those looking to hatch their own Khaki Campbell ducklings will also be happy to hear that Khaki Campbell mothers almost always go broody and will dedicate a full 28 days to hatching their ducklings. That is, however, as far as Khaki Campbells go in terms of motherhood. They are not well known for caring for their ducklings after they have hatched.

Noise Levels

Khaki Campbells are not known to be noisy ducks.

They are actually known for being one of the more quiet breeds of ducks out there.

You can expect some quacks out of your Khaki Campbell if they are hungry or feel threatened, although these noises are not very loud and come off as more of a grunt than anything.

Khaki Campbell Duck Care Guide

These ducks are incredibly hardy and can thrive in both hot and cold climates.

The Khaki Campbell really does not need much and they are able to adapt pretty well to virtually any environment as long as they are given a place to splash around.

Because they are a high energy duck, they should be given a bit more room to forage and roam than your average duck. They will not do well temperament wise if they are confined.

They are also quite messy so you should plan to remove and replace any damp bedding from your ducks’ coop about once a week and replace all the bedding about once a month. If you do not keep up with the cleaning requirements, it can be quite detrimental to your Khaki Campbells’ health.

Overall, as long as your ducks are kept clean and have a suitable diet, as well as access to water, then they should stay healthy.

Feeding

Khaki Campbells are very independent and they can obtain a large portion of their dietary needs from foraging.

With their love for foraging also comes their strange affinity for questionable treats. You will be surprised to hear that one of the Khaki Campbell’s favorite treats is slugs.

You will also find that your Khaki Campbell Ducks enjoy snacking on earthworms and insects when they are off foraging. You can also provide snacks of your own like peas or leafy greens in a bucket of water.

These ducks should be free fed a high protein feed containing anywhere around 16-18% protein. They are perfectly content being fed chicken feed once they reach about 3 months of age. It is important to note that to avoid a potential choking hazard, your ducks should be fed feed crumble or pellets.

Ducks also drink a great deal more water than chickens. You should make sure they have a large, full, and clean waterer at all times.

Coop Setup and Roaming

A good rule of thumb to go by is 3 square feet of space per Khaki Campbell inside the coop.

Remember that they love to spend time submerging themselves in water and that can make for some pretty messy bedding. Bedding should be spot changed for any damp or particularly messy spots every week and completely replaced every month.

A coop with proper ventilation is a must for Khaki Campbells to avoid any potentially hazardous conditions.

Remember that ducks like to nest on the ground in a slightly damp location and do not usually use the same location for extended periods.

Nesting boxes are not required for ducks. Ducks also do not roost so they do not need those either.

You will find that your Khaki Campbells are perfectly content making themselves a nest on the ground of the coop, rather than on a roost or in nesting boxes.

In terms of outside space they will each need 25 square feet of space.

This free range environment lets your birds get all of their energy out. They will also get a significant amount of their nutritional requirements from free ranging.

Pond and Water

Although Khaki Campbell Ducks do not need a pond, they would certainly enjoy one.

Khaki Campbells do not particularly need a pond.

However, they enjoy spending time in water and this can help deter common diseases such as wet feather disease.

Wet feather disease is another term for a dried out preening gland which is responsible for making their feathers waterproof. Letting your Khaki Campbells have constant access to a body of water to submerge themselves in also deters pests.

Any duck’s quality of life really does go up substantially when given the opportunity to fully submerge themselves in a body of water.

This can be provided in many different ways, from a paddling pool, to a full blown pond.

Just remember that Khaki Campbell ducklings should not be exposed to deep water until they are at least 6 weeks old.

Breed History

The Khaki Campbell Duck can be traced back to the late 1800s in Gloucestershire, England.

During this time a Mrs. Adele Campbell wanted to supply her family with a duck breed that was not only a good egg layer but also had a good build for meat.

She had Indian Runner Ducks and Rouen Ducks, the former is well known for their egg production and the latter for their large body size. This cross between the Indian Runner and Rouen by Mrs. Campbell resulted in the first line of what we know today as the Campbell duck.

At the end of 1898 the Campbell was introduced to the public for the first time but they were not initially a hot commodity due to their color. At the time, buff-colored chickens were popular and the first Campbell resembled more of a dull-colored Mallard duck.

To increase their popularity, Mrs. Campbell crossed her original Campbell Ducks with Pencil Runner Ducks.

This is how the Khaki Campbell was bred and they were named after their similarity to the uniforms worn by the military soldiers at the time.

It was around 1929 when the first Khaki Campbells were imported to the States and they were promptly accepted into the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection in 1941. Although there are various color varieties of the Campbell duck the only variety currently recognized by the APA is the Khaki variety.

During the 1970s the US Khaki Campbell population flourished thanks to an increase in Asian immigrants after the Vietnam war. These immigrants loved duck eggs and a hardy batch of Khaki Campbells were imported in 1977.

Since then the Khaki Campbell Duck has been a staple backyard duck breed for many homesteads.

Khaki Campbell Duck Pictures

Summary

Khaki Campbell Ducks are truly one of the best beginner duck breeds out there.

Those who have a large backyard with a pond or kids pool already have the ideal environment for a Khaki Campbell and would only benefit from keeping this wonderful breed.

This breed also does an incredible job ridding your backyard of any pests.

As long as you give them enough roaming space then they will be a joy to have around.

Let us know any of your questions in the comments section below…