Duck Breed Focus - Muscovy

[Miss Lydia]

The big male is picking on my young one. He is the one in my avatar. He is much bigger now though. Just as big as his siblings and his mother, so I am thinking it may be a male. .

That maybe why your drake is picking on him. Best keep them apart .

 

[DuckyGaze]

That maybe why your drake is picking on him. Best keep them apart.

I have been keeping them apart and now that big old fellow tries to hurt any other male of any species. He is a very frustrated muscovy. His hen is on a clutch of eggs and that seems to make him react aggressively towards anything within reach. He wants nothing to do with the other female muscovies.

He is just so anti-social.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have been keeping them apart and now that big old fellow tries to hurt any other male of any species. He is a very frustrated muscovy. His hen is on a clutch of eggs and that seems to make him react aggressively towards anything within reach. He wants nothing to do with the other female muscovies.

He is just so anti-social.

I've never had a Muscovy react that way when one of his ladies was on a nest he'd just go hang out with the rest. Hopefully she'll soon hatch and once ducklings get old enough to be on their own he'll be happy again. To have his lady back.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote:
This behavior is rare but I have had a couple boys act this way. Any with this mindset are put in the freezer here. If they catch another species, they will kill them by forcing himself on them to mate. This act of raping another animal should not be ignored. Without going into long details, this is not a drake you will want to keep. Carefully stated, a drakes male parts extend well beyond other species. They will puncture internal organs, and kill the bird they are raping. Its a slow death and that drake will repeat this until the bird is dead. I have lost a couple roosters, and hens before I learned about it.
I keep all my species separated now and rotate free range time. This is one of many reasons why.

 

[jordilynn77]

Hey everyone! First time duck owner. We got 2 ducklings in april with no mention of breed. They are now 5 months and I have come to the conclusion that they are french white muscovy ducks. They were raised with chicks and had initially shared the coop with them at night. Then they started roosting on the roof of the barn at night. Theh free range all day. Today I found a duck egg in the nesting box of the coop and one on the floor of the coop. Well tonight I went to shut the chickens in and noticed only one duck on the roof of the barn. We found the other underneath the coop, outside. Its not a safe spot for her to stay. Shes laying but there are no eggs. Why wouldn't she go in the coop? Could it be the roosters? Should we build her a separate duck house? Would she even use it?

 

[Ren2014]

Hey everyone! First time duck owner. We got 2 ducklings in april with no mention of breed. They are now 5 months and I have come to the conclusion that they are french white muscovy ducks. They were raised with chicks and had initially shared the coop with them at night. Then they started roosting on the roof of the barn at night. Theh free range all day. Today I found a duck egg in the nesting box of the coop and one on the floor of the coop. Well tonight I went to shut the chickens in and noticed only one duck on the roof of the barn. We found the other underneath the coop, outside. Its not a safe spot for her to stay. Shes laying but there are no eggs. Why wouldn't she go in the coop? Could it be the roosters? Should we build h.er a separate duck house? Would she even use it?

Can't really say why she wouldn't go in the coop but if you want her to go broody and hatch lings I would build her a separate duck house. It might take some time and you helping her to realize what it's for but yes, she will eventually use it.

 

[jordilynn77]

  Can't really say why she wouldn't go in the coop but if you want her to go broody and hatch lings I would build her a separate duck house.  It might take some time and you helping her to realize what it's for but yes, she will eventually use it. 

We don't have a drake so the eggs aren't fertile. I don't understand why she would lay under the coop all night. Should I be collecting eggs every day? Do you think she'd still benefit from a separate coop/house?

 

[Ren2014]

We don't have a drake so the eggs aren't fertile. I don't understand why she would lay under the coop all night. Should I be collecting eggs every day? Do you think she'd still benefit from a separate coop/house?

She might think she is safe under there. I would definitely pick them up. They might attract predators and you don't want them rotting and then exploding. I think so. We have ours separated from the chickens. I know the ducks are much happier without them around.

 

[jordilynn77]

She might think she is safe under there.  I would definitely pick them up.  They might attract predators and you don't want them rotting and then exploding.  I think so.  We have ours separated from the chickens.  I know the ducks are much happier without them around.

She's back under there tonight. The other one is on the roof as usual. I have a dog house I could convert to a house for them. Do I need a nest box in there as well? Its basically an a frame with three sides and a floor. What other modifications should I make for it to appeal to her?

 

[binji]

My two babies are the light of my life!! Jenkins is in black and Fionn is in white. Can anyone tell me their sexes though??