Newbie muscovie owner

[mndaddy]

Hi all. I'm starting to get into raising muscovies. I recently bought a breeding pair from someone and I just got 6 ducklings. The breeding pair is actively mating and according to the person I got them from she should begin laying . She is starting to nest in a coop I built. My question is, should I let her foster the new ducklings, or will that interfere with her laying her own clutch? She seems very interested in the new arrivals...

 

[Going Quackers]

You can try if you wish, she may not accept them though especially if she's not laying yet, i have not found having a clutch deters the mums much, they get back into it pretty quick. They breed like rabbits, frankly.

 

[mndaddy]

Thank you! I'm not sure how we'll do it yet. We raised some guinea keets with ducklings and it worked quite well. We're getting more keets in a day or 2 so we may wait and do that. The guineas keep the ducks moving around so the mess is spread over our 5 acres and not on front of the garage like our guard geese

 

[jdywntr]

If she really takes to them, then she will likely not lay for a bit. If she is being a good mom, she can't take time away to go lay an egg (what I think goes through their heads). As GQ said, she may not accept them.

I'd give it a go but a hate brooding ducklings myself, unless I have to. If she hasn't started and doesn't start while she's with them then you may not see eggs til fall. My muscovy hens tend to stay with their young for a while. One hen stayed with her brood for 6 weeks. Currently, one hen is still with her brood that hatched around 5/8. She's not with them all the time but most of the time.

If you REALLY want her to start laying then I wouldn't give her the babies. If you are willing to wait, maybe til spring, then let her have them.

 

[Hiesenburg]

I would try and brood them yourself. Muscovy hens are good mothers but I haven't ever seen one take any in. In fact I have seen male muscovies trample babies just to mate with the mother.

 

[mndaddy]

Thank you! I'm definitely leaning towards not, and hoping she begins laying

 

[Going Quackers]

I would try and brood them yourself. Muscovy hens are good mothers but I haven't ever seen one take any in. In fact I have seen male muscovies trample babies just to mate with the mother.

Yes, some drakes can be a handful but that is not always the case. My drakes have not touched my mama duck and she is with the flock with her 2wks olds, this is where knowing your flock matters. OP doesn't, separation at first with a new clutch is always recommended.

 

[Going Quackers]

Thank you! I'm definitely leaning towards not, and hoping she begins laying

Good luck!