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Khaki Campbell duck

Khaki Campbell is the most widely kept exotic egg-purpose duck breed in India and the workhorse of both intensive and migratory duck-farming systems in the country. The breed was developed in late-nineteenth-century England by Adele Campbell from a cross of Indian Runner, Rouen and Mallard, selected for high egg production.

Origin and distribution

The breed entered India through colonial-era poultry stations and is now distributed across all the major duck-keeping states — West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu — which together hold the largest national duck populations. Indigenous laying duck breeds maintained alongside Khaki Campbell include Sythetmete and Nageswari in Assam, and Indian Runner is the third commonly recognised egg-purpose type.

Morphology

The plumage is a uniform warm khaki-brown, slightly darker on the head and neck of the drake. Body is upright but less vertical than Indian Runner, with a small head and a long, slim neck. Adult weight is 1.8-2.2 kg in drakes and 1.6-2.0 kg in ducks, well below the larger Pekin meat breed.

Performance

Under intensive commercial management, Khaki Campbell hens lay 300-340 eggs per year of 65-72 g each, with first lay at 5-7 months. Indian backyard studies in Assam record more modest figures — 180-190 eggs per duck per year with 12-13% mortality — reflecting scavenging diets and exposure rather than the breed's genetic ceiling. The egg-laying persistence of Khaki Campbell is its standout trait: many hens continue to lay productively for two seasons. Eggs are larger than chicken layer eggs (Layer Chicken Bv 380) and command a niche market for confectionery and bakery use.

Management

Khaki Campbell adapts well to both intensive housing and migratory paddy-stubble systems (Duck Farming Migratory). In intensive units, birds are housed on deep litter (Deep Litter System) with bathing channels and pond access during the day; in migratory systems, the breed's hardiness and continued laying under nutritional stress make it the dominant choice. ICAR research on White Pekin x Khaki Campbell crossbreeds has examined dual-purpose egg-and-meat performance under intensive systems. Routine vaccination against duck plague and Newcastle disease (Ranikhet Newcastle Disease) is essential, especially in mixed-village systems with country chicken (Country Chicken Nattu Kodi) and migratory flocks.

See also: Duck Farming Migratory.

References

  1. Production performance of Khaki Campbell ducks in backyard. Indian Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Research.
  2. Status of Duck Breeding in India. Semantic Scholar.