Youxian duck is an egg-type duck breed.

(1) Origin and distribution Also known as the Youxian shelduck, it is the smallest egg-type breed in China. Its central production area is located in the You River and Sha River basins of Youxian County, Hunan Province, and it is also distributed in the Dongting Lake area, Changsha, Xiangtan, Hanshou, Changde, Yiyang, Yueyang, Chenzhou and other places, as well as in the neighboring provinces of Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hubei, Shaanxi, Zhejiang and others.

(2) Appearance characteristics The body is long and narrow, boat-shaped, with the forequarters held high and feathers tight. The drake has a yellow-green bill bean, orange-yellow shanks and webs, black claws, and yellow-brown iris. The upper head and neck feathers are emerald green and glossy, there is a white neck ring on the middle and lower neck, the forebreast feathers are reddish brown, the wing feathers are grayish brown, and the tail feathers are dark green. The duck has yellow-brown plumage throughout with black feather spots, forming a sparrow color, orange-yellow shanks and webs, and black claws. In the flock, dark shelduck ducks account for about 70%, and those with lighter plumage account for about 30%.

(3) Production performance ① Egg production The annual egg production is 200-250 eggs, with an average egg weight of 62 grams. White-shelled eggs account for 90%, and green-shelled eggs account for 10%. ② Growth rate The body weight at 120 days of age is 1160-1250 grams, at 150 days of age 1200-1280 grams, and adult duck body weight 1300-1350 grams. ③ Reproductive performance The age at first laying for female ducks is 110-130 days. The mating ratio of male to female ducks is 1:25, the fertilization rate of breeding eggs is 90%-94%, and the hatchability of fertilized eggs is above 80%.