Why are bantam ducks so popular? Why are they often among the largest of the classes at many shows? I believe that they possess several qualities, which combine to account for their growing popularity. First, the most obvious; their small size. They (along with bantam chickens) simply possess a virtue, which is prized by more and more poultry fanciers as the years go by. More of the people who raise exhibition poultry do so in non-farm settings all of the time. That certainly wasn't always the case but it is now. As a result, space is at a premium for many people and bantam fowl, which need perhaps half as much space (housing and outdoor pens), as the large birds are a solution to that problem. Then, there is the economics of the situation; a trio of Calls, for example, will cost much less than half as much to feed for a year as a trio of Pekins.

      One also must consider the wide range of other qualities that the several types of bantam ducks can offer the fancier. Do you want a small duck with a great deal of personality that is also possessed of a very pleasing (some would say "cute") body type? Try the Call in any of several colors. You say you want a duck which is truly beautiful but is quiet so it fits in to a suburban backyard setting? How about the Mandarin? While it certainly qualifies as "exotic", it is not native to North America so it does not require a federal or state license to keep it. The Wood Duck is equally beautiful but is a native of North America so a license is required. Then, there is the Black East Indie, a domestic bantam duck which features plumage which is stunning: an emerald green overlay to shiny black. Last but not least, there is the exhibition Mallard that retains the graceful wild type, which all Mallards once shared. In short, there is a kind of bantam duck which will suit almost everyone's taste and situation.

      One does not have to have an elaborate heated building to raise bantam ducks. What one does need is a building / pen combination, which will afford protection from the most severe weather and from predators. In northern climates, the ability to keep unfrozen water in front of your birds during the winter is a big plus. Actual swimming water is not required but the ducks will be much happier and stay much cleaner if they can swim. A plastic pool will suffice. All types of waterfowl benefit from the nutrients they can derive from access to pasture of some sort. Even a small patch of grass and weeds will do. A couple of inches of coarse sand around their water source will really help to keep the area free of mud and disease promoting puddles.

      Relatively few breeders of quality bantam ducks sell hatching eggs or ducklings. The best way to get started is to research the breeders who raise the type one is interested in and then place an order in the spring for fall delivery. A subscription to the Poultry Press makes keeping track of the various breeders easy. If one were interested only in the "wild" types of bantam ducks, perhaps the best resource would be the Gamebird Gazette, which specializes, in the wild and exotic waterfowl and pheasants. You can contact them at P.O. Box 171227, Salt Lake City, Utah 84117.