And One Lonely Muscovy...

[JacobAndDevorah]

We have about 15 ducks in our yard. Half are Buff Orpington and half are Ancona. They all seem to get along fine, and are free ranging with about 20 chickens.

Our only concern is the one lonely Muscovy we have. We got this duck as a duckling with the Ancona batch, and were told she was an Ancona. After a couple of weeks it became obvious that she was not like the others.

Now, about four months later, the other ducks all stick together, swim together, etc. except for the one poor lonely Muscovy. She really is all by herself. If she gets into the pool, all of the other ducks will get out and leave. It is kind of sad to watch.

Do Muscovy ducks only run with with their kind? If we were to get a couple of Muscovy ducks are we pretty sure they would be her friend? Or is something amiss with this Muscovy and it has nothing to do with her type?

 

[TheBeardie]

At one point I had three muscovy ducks and a Khaki Campbell drake together. They all got along well. They stayed together for baths, napped with each other and generally where near each other.

None of your drakes are interested in her? Or do you have any drakes at all? I would be surprised if no drakes are interested in her. Are you sure she's female? Do you have a picture of her?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'd like to see pictures too. If she was raised with the others she should be a part of the group. It's hard to say if she would take to other muscovy or not. Some of mine do spend time by themselves.

 

[TheBeardie]

I also noticed that you're new. Do you know how to Upload pictures? If not you can go to this post in my thread, which is about my chickens, you can see how to add pictures.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/js-2018-chicks.1275088/page-6#post-20703174

 

[chickens really]

Muscovy and Mallard derived Ducks don't speak the same language.
A picture of it would help..
Is it a Drake or a Hen?. How many of each sex do you have?

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[Wild Duck]

My muscovy hen was raised alone among mallard derived birds too. She is friends with the other ducks but definitely a loner. Whenever the drakes are aggressive/sexual (every spring, etc) she is even more removed from them. I think it's just natural, and I'm interested to see where this thread goes!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a Muscovy flock and a Runner and Buff flock they live together eat together other than that pretty much ignore each other. Except one of my Muscovy females who helped hatched the Runners and Buffs she loves to hang out with them and they accept her. But defiantly it can go either way.

 

[TheBeardie]

Some ducks can just like being alone. My OG muscovy duck prefers to be up in a tree by herself. I only have muscovies right now though.

Muscovies are not a mallard derived duck, so they do have some differences. Muscovies aren't a as water loving, are generally much larger and hiss (males). The ducks don't quack like mallard derived breeds either. Kind of a peep/honk. My Khaki Campbell drake had no problem talking with my muscovy ducks.

 

[momma2many1974]

We have about 15 ducks in our yard. Half are Buff Orpington and half are Ancona. They all seem to get along fine, and are free ranging with about 20 chickens.

Our only concern is the one lonely Muscovy we have. We got this duck as a duckling with the Ancona batch, and were told she was an Ancona. After a couple of weeks it became obvious that she was not like the others.

Now, about four months later, the other ducks all stick together, swim together, etc. except for the one poor lonely Muscovy. She really is all by herself. If she gets into the pool, all of the other ducks will get out and leave. It is kind of sad to watch.

Do Muscovy ducks only run with with their kind? If we were to get a couple of Muscovy ducks are we pretty sure they would be her friend? Or is something amiss with this Muscovy and it has nothing to do with her type?

I have two Muscovy ducks and they hang together 99% of the time. If you get another Muscovy she should be fine. I have a male and a female and they are two peas in a pod. They pretty much do everything together.