Recent content by mpghm

My ducks sound different now. Rather than the soft trilling/cooing, it's more of a chirp or soft screech. They are 5 months old. There is also some behaviour change. Not sneezing but something similar but as far as I can tell, only when they are around me. Usual appetite and energy.

Two solid eggs in the coop this morning (we have two ducks). And then when I came home, two soft eggs in the run. It's funny how the soft eggs are always outside, solid ones inside. I'll feed them some more oyster shells and hope for the best.

Thanks. I crushed up some shells and they gobbled it up. Clearly needed that.

My muscovies started laying a few days ago. A couple of eggs have been soft and laid in the run rather than in the coop, and they ate one of them. The others have hard shell. Any suggestions?

I removed my loud & aggressive drake 10 days ago, and I've enjoyed the peace. However, at times the remaining ladies go a bit crazy: loud chirping, open mouths, overly excited, "hard" nibbling of shoes/socks/pants. They are now 18-19 weeks, eggs should be coming soon. I wonder if they miss...

Great tips. The aggression really started in the last couple of weeks as they grew old enough to mate: huffing & puffing whenever I'm close, getting protective of the ladies. The others are nipping at shoes/pants, but seems to be more curiosity / search for food.

It was always the plan to process it. And it's too agressive. Tonight it attacked me claws first as I was walking past it, ruined some nice pants.

My muscovys are 14-15 weeks old. I'm planning to cull the drake before it gets too old, but would like to get a few fertile eggs before that. At what age would they typically produce viable eggs?

The drake has been quite aggressive trying to grab my leg, perhaps he was just frustrated / confused?

At 14 weeks now: - flock reduced to 3 - they've started mating - losing some feathers, adult feathers starting to come in - they've made a nest-like indentation in the coop bedding

I've started a thread in the meat birds forum about processing muscovys: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1120161/muscovys-first-time-processing If you have a good process, please comment there

It's time to process the first of my muscovy ducks. First time butchering. Any tips? I'll try to set up a cone. Or find another way to avoid too much flapping. I'm leaning towards chopping the head rather than bleeding out first.

Clipped another two (friendly ones), but the two I have left are too wary to let me close. Loud screech and jumping if I manage to get my hands on them. Tomorrow: a handful of worms as bait and a large towel or something to catch them.

11 weeks. Beginning to fly. Clipped the first one. The others got real good at evasive manoeuvres.

They are starting to lift off! Clipped the first one (the friendliest one) tonight. The others suddeny got very good at dodging any capture attempts. I find it difficult to see whether the feathers are drained of blood. Is it OK if they look a bit pink still (light feathers)? Some are flying 5...