Abacot Ranger

Origin:  Germany

Category:  Light Breed Duck

Egg Colour:  White

Sitter:  Yes

The Abacot Ranger is a breed of domestic duck, initially known as the Hooded Ranger and as Streicherente ('Ranger Duck', in Germany). A utility breed, originally developed for eggs and meat, it is popular for exhibition and egg production today.

The Abacot Ranger was developed between 1917 and 1922 by Mr. Oscar Gray of Abacot Duck Ranch, Friday Wood, Colchester in the United Kingdom. The name of the 'Ranch' being derived from Mr. Gray's home at Abbott's Cottages. Some white 'sports' occurred among his flock of Khaki Campbell's, and these Mr. Gray mated to white Indian Runner drakes and the progeny were named Hooded Rangers and entered at the Wye College egg-laying trials 1922–23, where they gave a good account of themselves with the highest score in their section. The name was changed to Abacot Ranger for the egg-laying trials at Bentley, and remained as such. It was initially a popular breed for egg and meat production, but soon became extinct in the United Kingdom. and the breed was then returned to the United Kingdom in the 1970s from Germany. The Abacot Ranger was accepted into the British Waterfowl Standard in 1983.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Abacot Ranger duck is a light weight dual purpose breed. It is similar in shape to the Khaki Campbell ducks although larger in size.

On an average, Abacot Ranger drakes weight about 2.7-3.0 kg and ducks about 2.5 kg. Photo from Pinterest.

COLOUR

The ducklings can easily be distinguished by their bill colors, when they are of eight weeks of old. The bills of females will turn a dark slate color, and the bills of male will turn olive green.

COLOUR OF DRAKE

Head: Black with a green lustre.

Neck: White ring around the neck

Bill: Olive green bill.

COLOUR OF DUCK

Head: The head and neck of the Abacot Ranger displays a hood of fawn-buff feathers.

Bill: Dark slate grey.

Body: The body is creamy white and streaked or marked with color.

WEIGHTS

• Drake: 2.5-3.0kg

• Duck: Around 2.5kg

SCALE OF POINTS

Duck Points Scale from Universal Waterfowl Standards by Grow, O (1956).

SERIOUS DEFECTS

See Disqualifications

SOURCES

• Grow, O. (1956). Universal waterfowl standard and judging guide. Milwaukee: American Waterfowl Assoc., inc. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003128190&view=1up&seq=9

• Australian Poultry Standards 2nd edition

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abacot_Ranger

• https://poultrykeeper.com/duck-breeds/abacot-ranger-ducks/

• https://www.roysfarm.com/abacot-ranger-duck