Generations of midcoast poultry farmers have kept this rare duck breed alive

LINCOLN COUNTY NEWS • December 16, 2024

A flock of eight German Pekin ducks (aka European Pekins) on Jefferson’s Goose Hill Road are among the only representatives of their kind in the region, according to legacy poultry breeder Sarah Merrill, who is striving to keep their lineage alive. Maintaining rare breeds like the German Pekin is important to conserve genetic diversity and agricultural history, Merrill said. The breed is currently listed as endangered by the German Society for the Preservation of Old and Endangered Domestic Animal Breeds.