4 month old muscovy

[aliceinlove]

Hi! New here, needed some advice. New 4 month old Muscovy coming home with me tonight. Not sure of sex. Is it safe for it to free range with my baby two weeker chicks and ducks, or will it hurt them? They have separate enclosures at night.

 

[Amiga]

I would not let them loose together till the babies are the same size as the 4 month old - size difference seems to lead to conflict, sometimes serious.

 

[ralph a]

Muscovy can be rough so i would wait. Size does matter here. So the best thing to do take time and move them in a little at a time. Then you can see how they get alone.

 

[aliceinlove]

The Muscovy was actually scared of the babies at first. He warmed up to them though and loved to splash in the little pool with them. Sadly this morning he is gone.

 

[Muscovynmore]

That's awful!

Do you have any idea what type of predator got him? It will probably come back and try to get your other birds, too. Or your Muscovy could have wandered off on his own, since he was new to the area.

Poor little drake.

 

[aliceinlove]

Were pretty sure he wandered off. We kept him penned up the first night and let him free range during the day. But the second night he wouldn't let us pen him up. We tried coaxing with food and even even tried catching him once. ( he was the fastest duck I've ever seen). He kept trying to go down the driveway. He knew that was the way out. Were guessing when we went in for the evening he took off waddling down the road. We live not to far from a public lake, so were pretty sure he might be there, unless something got him first.


He came from a small farm where a flock of about 40 or so ducks free ranged. They weren't very tame. I'm pretty upset and I check for him every morning I was going raise a Muscovy chick at first, but I found this guy on Craigslist being sold for a meat duck and he was too pretty for that fate.

 

[ralph a]

Some muscovys are just dumb. I have them here for twenty years and i still get some that will not stay.Some are just a free spirit i guess and like to travel. But if it came from a large flock it will go looking for it own kind. They can be a very nice duck if you have time to spoil them But like most bird they like a few of there own kind to hang with. If trying again try for three and keep them pend for a week before free range.