A prizewinning Mosgiel flock is set to get bigger, with five ducklings expected tomorrow.
Mosgiel duck breeder Richard Price (27) won the two top duck prizes at the 2015 Dunedin Poultry Show in May.
Mr Price entered four ducks in the competition to go head-to-head against a 40-duck line-up.
His 2-year-old Pekin drake won ''best duck in show'' and his 10-month-old cayuga duck won the reserve prize.
His ''heavy-breed'' Pekin drake won the reserve prize last year and had the attributes to take the top billing this year.
''Big puffy cheeks, a good size and a strong orange legs and orange beak, with no black marks.''
His 3-year-old Indian runner duck won the runner-up prize at the National Poultry Show, in Oamaru, earlier this month.
Before a show, he washed the ducks in warm water, combed their feathers and cleaned their beaks and feet with a toothbrush.
The other breeds in the flock of 30 ducks he kept on 5ha in Mosgiel included Pekin, magpie, cayuga, Indian runner, buff Orpington and mandarin.
A rare bantam duck was on his wish list.
Five eggs were due to hatch tomorrow and another 20 ducks were expected to hatch next month.
The ducks had a diet that included lucerne chaff, maize, crushed wheat and barley and seaweed powder.
''The seaweed powder helps them with fertility and to come on the lay.''
Mr Price started showing chickens at the age of 16 but changed to showing ducks two years later.
He enjoyed breeding ducks more than chickens.
''Ducks are perceived as dirty creatures but they're not. I find mine a lot cleaner than having chooks and they are good layers.''
He gave the eggs to friends to use in baking.
