Muscovy adults & babies behavior

[ringaring]

Will a muscovy male hurt 8 wk old muscovettes? My 2 adults are closed in their coop at night with their kids but free range all day. Mom can fly back into the kid's yard at will but I can't remember when I last saw Dad leave the ground (too heavy I think). So Dad spends a lot of time pacing in front of the kid's pen lately. Sometimes it looks like the kids are trying to get away from him in the coop; squeezing under or behind hay bales where he can't fit to follow. Is this the beginnings of aggressive behavior or playing? Their coop is 5x8' with different levels for perching. TIA

 

[Canadian Wind]

There is a possibility, yes, especially if they've been kept separate. Muscovy do not usually participate in the raising of the young. That being said, I've had my female walk her foster-ducklings around without much issue. My drake was more interested in her than the ducklings.

I've been lucky so far with little or no aggression between my Muscovy of various ages and genders. Others haven't been, though.