The sounds of quacking ducks fill the air once again at Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue after nearly 18 months of silence.

For owner Doug Corwin, the farm’s return to full production marks the end of a long and difficult recovery following a devastating bird flu outbreak in January 2025.

The outbreak forced the euthanization of nearly 100,000 ducks and shut down operations indefinitely. Corwin said the impact on the family business was immediate and heartbreaking, requiring him to lay off 45 employees.

The farm’s future was uncertain, but a small glimmer of hope remained. A clutch of eggs was successfully salvaged and sanitized, allowing the farm to rebuild its flock. Two generations of ducks have since hatched from those eggs.

As of Aug. 31, Crescent Duck Farm is back in full production. Corwin said 37 previously laid-off employees have returned to work.

“We were thrown a lifeline that you see here today,” Corwin said. “Our ducks are so unique compared to all the ducks out of the marketplace. If I couldn’t have saved those genetics, we would have gone out of business.”

Founded in 1908, Crescent Duck Farm is the last remaining duck farm on Long Island, carrying on a tradition that was once synonymous with the region.

Corwin said the responsibility of preserving that legacy weighs heavily on him. Despite working 70 to 90 hours a week, he remains committed to the business his family has operated for more than a century.

“How long is this gonna go? Well, I don’t know,” Corwin said. “I’m going to die a duck farmer, but I’ve still got a long ways to go.”