As well as chickens, I also keep a breed of duck. I chose to keep Ancona ducks because I think they are very pretty and I really enjoy the black and white colours of their feathers.

The Ancona is a rare breed of duck.

You'll find that Ancona ducks are calm and friendly and make good family pets. They are not an aggressive bird.

Anconas are white and black in colour - their markings are variable.

An adult weights between 6-8lbs.

They lay white, brown or blue eggs - averaging around 210-280 large eggs a year.

The male Ancona duck always has a curly tail feather. You can see photos of this over on my gallery page.

These would make a great addition to your garden, not only due to their friendly nature but they also forage for slugs.

Ancona Ducks are not known to fly and tend to stay close to their home.