The muscovy are awesome mothers, and even though they are seasonal layers, they produce a lot of babies if you will let them. I have one duck that has hatched two separate clutches since January. She has also built up two nests, but I stole the eggs for ice cream.
She started laying again when her babies were just 5 or 6 weeks old, which was really soon I thought. So, had I not stolen her eggs, she could have produced somewhere around 60 babies in 7 months ... that's impressive.
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Well from what I have read - they are more closely related to geese than ducks. They behave differently, they roost (ducks do not), lay a little differently, even look different. So although I know the differences - I like to read what actual owners have to say about their experience with them. Some ppl love them more than mallard-derived ducks and I am curious why. (just to know. Maybe I need some! Haha)
Excuse my typos. Sent from my iPhone.
For my perspective i have never owed another type of duck so i have no idea, i know my husband dislikes how quiet they are and refers to them as not real ducks because of it
Also some are friendlier than others i got some ducks last year as 6/7mth olds two of them are bonkers.. we've owned them almost a year and the one is a jewel.
~ Firefly Farms home of Miniature horses, 14 Muscovy ducks, 2 calls ducks ( 2 buff ducks joining this spring), 4 Ameraucana chickens(1/2 doz Silkies coming spring, darn chicken math finally got me) , Lionhead rabbits and your typical dogs, cats, fish, and parrots...
~ Firefly Farms home of Miniature horses, 14 Muscovy ducks, 2 calls ducks ( 2 buff ducks joining this spring), 4 Ameraucana chickens(1/2 doz Silkies coming spring, darn chicken math finally got me) , Lionhead rabbits and your typical dogs, cats, fish, and parrots...

Muscovies, aren't consider waterfowl or a duck though are they?
Scovy Momma - I have noticed this two. My two scovy ducklings are very calm and gentle. Whereas the Chocolate Call duckling that is in there with them runs around being crazy when it's time to lock them up. The scovies just sit there and let me pick them up. Really love that. Are their eggs bigger that the average duck egg?
By the by got my 1st duck egg today!!! So eggcited!! Going to bake a cake or something. Anyone have a good recipe to use duck eggs in??
~ Aspen
So far,Daisy's eggs have been about the size of a jumbo chicken egg but I'm told she'll get bigger eggs eventually. I just baked lemon bars last night with duck eggs & a white coconut cake. I did notice the cake baked up nice & spongey!
Daisy: Muscovy house duck,Vader: Kangal/Great Pyrenees,Leia: Normand Basset Hound,Lando: Chihuahua,Chewbacca: Dachshund/Rat terrier,Wickett: guinea pig,Houdini: weasel,Playboy: bunny & a couple of turtles...amazing I'm still single!
Daisy: Muscovy house duck,Vader: Kangal/Great Pyrenees,Leia: Normand Basset Hound,Lando: Chihuahua,Chewbacca: Dachshund/Rat terrier,Wickett: guinea pig,Houdini: weasel,Playboy: bunny & a couple of turtles...amazing I'm still single!
- Location: Northern Indiana
- Joined: 11/2010
- Posts: 515
- offline
It sounds like I might need to get one to hatch out ducks! Would they hatch out goslings?
One amazing wife, 3 kids, an American Buff gander, 2 American Buff goose goslings, 1Embden gosling, 3 Toulouse goslings, 3 adult and 4 duckling pekins, 1 WR rooster, 5 WR hens, 1 buff orpington, 1 old beloved mix breed hen, a bunch of chicks for the freezer, ducklings hatching in the incubator, 2 barn cats, and a red standard poodle.
One amazing wife, 3 kids, an American Buff gander, 2 American Buff goose goslings, 1Embden gosling, 3 Toulouse goslings, 3 adult and 4 duckling pekins, 1 WR rooster, 5 WR hens, 1 buff orpington, 1 old beloved mix breed hen, a bunch of chicks for the freezer, ducklings hatching in the incubator, 2 barn cats, and a red standard poodle.
- Miss Lydia
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- Plum Nearly Farm
- Location: Western N.C.ducks 9yr /geese 5yrs/chickens 3yrs.
- Joined: 10/2009
- Posts: 28,836
- offline
They love to hatch, ducks goslings chickens snakes. etc. 
Living in the Beautiful Mountains of Western N.C.. with 16 chickens= EE's, Game, Cochin bantams,Light Brahma, 13Muscovy ducks, 1Embden Gander,1 Toulouse goose, 3 mini Dachshunds, 1 mixed breed, pond goldfish, and a wonderful Husband who makes it all possible..♥
Living in the Beautiful Mountains of Western N.C.. with 16 chickens= EE's, Game, Cochin bantams,Light Brahma, 13Muscovy ducks, 1Embden Gander,1 Toulouse goose, 3 mini Dachshunds, 1 mixed breed, pond goldfish, and a wonderful Husband who makes it all possible..♥
- kuntrygirl
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- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Location: Opelousas, Louisiana
- Joined: 2/2008
- Posts: 16,937
- offline
PROS:
- They are quiet. You hardly even know they are there.
- They are calm.
- They are not afraid of people. You can walk up to mine and touch them.
- The hens lay a lot of eggs, although egg laying is seasonal. Mine lay about 9 months out of the year which is plenty for me. Mine started laying in December last year and are still laying.
- The eggs are delicious for baking.
- The hens love going broody.
- Mine have hatched baby chickens, goslings and turkey poults. They will go broody on a rock if you let them.

- They hatch A LOT of babies. I have had up to 150 ducklings (last year).
- The hens are great mothers.
- They are never sick.
- They love free ranging and eating bugs and mosquitoes.
- When I have too many males, I process them and the meat is delicious.

- They do well in both 100 degree heat and 19 degree cold temps.
- Some of my muscovies DO roost with the chickens.
- They come in all colors.

CONS:
- They are EXCELLENT flyers if you don't clip their wings.
- The hens love going broody.

- My hens hatch a lot of males.

* I currently have about 60 muscovys. I have 9 hens that are now setting on turkey and pea fowl eggs..
Edited by kuntrygirl - 8/7/12 at 7:41am
NPIP Certified-115 Chickens (50 chicks), 13 Geese (12 gosling), 19 BR Turkeys (5 poults), 7 Rabbits, 60 Muscovy Duck, 29 Guineas (15 keets), 9 Peafowl, 8 Sheep, 1 Goat and pea, turkey and guinea eggs cooking in the incubator.
NPIP Certified-115 Chickens (50 chicks), 13 Geese (12 gosling), 19 BR Turkeys (5 poults), 7 Rabbits, 60 Muscovy Duck, 29 Guineas (15 keets), 9 Peafowl, 8 Sheep, 1 Goat and pea, turkey and guinea eggs cooking in the incubator.
- My hens hatch a lot of males.

I seem to suffer from the same problem! 
~ Firefly Farms home of Miniature horses, 14 Muscovy ducks, 2 calls ducks ( 2 buff ducks joining this spring), 4 Ameraucana chickens(1/2 doz Silkies coming spring, darn chicken math finally got me) , Lionhead rabbits and your typical dogs, cats, fish, and parrots...
~ Firefly Farms home of Miniature horses, 14 Muscovy ducks, 2 calls ducks ( 2 buff ducks joining this spring), 4 Ameraucana chickens(1/2 doz Silkies coming spring, darn chicken math finally got me) , Lionhead rabbits and your typical dogs, cats, fish, and parrots...
- kuntrygirl
-
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Location: Opelousas, Louisiana
- Joined: 2/2008
- Posts: 16,937
- offline


I'm glad that I'm not alone. I had so many males, I know that we must have processed at least 30 males and sold about that many to people who wanted duck meat. I was sad to do it but I had no other choice.

I still have A LOT of males but I can manage the number.
NPIP Certified-115 Chickens (50 chicks), 13 Geese (12 gosling), 19 BR Turkeys (5 poults), 7 Rabbits, 60 Muscovy Duck, 29 Guineas (15 keets), 9 Peafowl, 8 Sheep, 1 Goat and pea, turkey and guinea eggs cooking in the incubator.
NPIP Certified-115 Chickens (50 chicks), 13 Geese (12 gosling), 19 BR Turkeys (5 poults), 7 Rabbits, 60 Muscovy Duck, 29 Guineas (15 keets), 9 Peafowl, 8 Sheep, 1 Goat and pea, turkey and guinea eggs cooking in the incubator.
oh my! well, my numbers aren't that high but considering i only owned 21 ducks... i have a lot of boys.. out of the 10 who hatched this year, 9 are boys!
Pretty boys but still.. to bad you can't neuter them. 
~ Firefly Farms home of Miniature horses, 14 Muscovy ducks, 2 calls ducks ( 2 buff ducks joining this spring), 4 Ameraucana chickens(1/2 doz Silkies coming spring, darn chicken math finally got me) , Lionhead rabbits and your typical dogs, cats, fish, and parrots...
~ Firefly Farms home of Miniature horses, 14 Muscovy ducks, 2 calls ducks ( 2 buff ducks joining this spring), 4 Ameraucana chickens(1/2 doz Silkies coming spring, darn chicken math finally got me) , Lionhead rabbits and your typical dogs, cats, fish, and parrots...
- Ducks VS Muscovies
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