Another - 'Are these Muscovy or mixed?' thread

[Buck Oakes]

They're cute! theyre not mix bred full Muscovy Muscovies have those type of feathers to, well the black ones do, it's from light refracting off of them really

 

[Buck Oakes]

The woman who sold them to me had the females and males all together all the time. She has a Pekin male and Cayuga male as well as two Muscovy males. She couldn't tell me for certain that they weren't mixed when I called her. All she could tell me is that she was pretty sure they were all Muscovy. So I waited until most of the fluff was gone and took a bunch of photos. Most of those photos were taken yesterday when it was overcast. The lovely rainbow of iridescent colors doesn't come through like it does when its sunny. You would know, Miss Lydia, having raised Muscovy ducks for so long. Thank you very much assuring me of their wholesomeness.

I just adore my flock of lovely Muscovies. I have 10 in all. I think two are older because they're flying already and others haven't got their wing feathers yet.

On how fast they can fly depends on the duck, I once had one of my beautiful babies be able to fly at 2 months

In my opinion the ducklings that are solid white and black are Muscovies, but the tow who are almost barred white and black might be a mix with a mallard derived duck.... Because i saw pictures of Muscovy x mallard species ducks and they had similar barred colors... And those tend to be bigger and yummier?? And usually infertile.

Barred pattern is a Muscovy pattern as that or pied or solid or laced, it's not technically a color since barring can be a multitude of shades and hues and yeah those r still full Muscovies

The woman who sold them to me said they were born on August 4, 2015. That makes them nearing the three month old mark. I think 4 of them are older because they were MUCH bigger than the others when I took them home. I thought those 4 were drakes for sure  from their size in relation to the others.

Well, two of the four are MASSIVE but the other two are now smaller than some of the ducks! But they can fly! They have their wing feathers while the others are still growing in.

That aside, I'd say that they are 3 months old for all intensive purposes. I have 2 confirmed drakes. The big group is now split into two camps around each big drake. It is so wonderful to watch the dynamics of the birds as they grow. It is so rewarding.

Thank you so much for all your help Miss Lydia and Majd.

I'd be keen to have any opinions. I am new and absorbing all information like a sponge!

Ducklings can be total different sizes when they're smaller, a good amount of times males can be smaller than females --> females larger than males or vice versa, it just depends on the duck like feathering out quicker or growing up faster, females also usually develop their flight feathers first

 

[Homesteader2]

Thank you Buck Oats! I was worried because I want to continue breeding and growing and of course eating some of the next generation. I had one of my drakes and three of his ducks stay on the pond last night. They wouldn't come in for all the can shaking in the world. I think he didn't want to share the coop with my other drake and his harem.

A new duck house is underway but its not built yet. My little coop is just temporary digs for them. Its started raining here and we need it badly. But it puts a damper on the duck house building

When we get a chance we'll get busy on it. With a flock of chickens in the brooder, they need to vacate the coop soon anyway. So rain or shine, a duck house is a must very soon.

Thank you again for you experienced eye and for sharing your years of experience with me. I'm a complete novice. I read and read on this forum. There is so much information packed into these pages its incredible. and its a great community.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you Buck Oats! I was worried because I want to continue breeding and growing and of course eating some of the next generation. I had one of my drakes and three of his ducks stay on the pond last night. They wouldn't come in for all the can shaking in the world. I think he didn't want to share the coop with my other drake and his harem.

A new duck house is underway but its not built yet. My little coop is just temporary digs for them. Its started raining here and we need it badly. But it puts a damper on the duck house building

When we get a chance we'll get busy on it. With a flock of chickens in the brooder, they need to vacate the coop soon anyway. So rain or shine, a duck house is a must very soon.

Thank you again for you experienced eye and for sharing your years of experience with me. I'm a complete novice. I read and read on this forum. There is so much information packed into these pages its incredible. and its a great community.

@Homesteader2 leaving them on the pond is no guarantee that a predator will not pick them off, coyotes swim as do raccoons and foxes and mink which are terrible predators. Plus then you have owls and snapping turtles. I hope you can get their shelter finished soon so you don't wake up one morning to heartache.

 

[Buck Oakes]

She's right, I have 3 males that stay outside and i pray for them every night, I just can't put them up with everybody else who are at peace ( males and females) they are some of the more rowdy bunch, head males of different flocks( I free ranged so so my flock kind of split) that are now combined and the three males get along fine, if they're no females, they actually sleep with each other which would never happen if they had their girls

 

[Buck Oakes]

but in general like put them up, I've lost a lot of my babies from them not wanting to go up and my stupid self thinking they would be okay fro 1 night.

 

[Homesteader2]

I tried my hardest to get them to come in. They just wouldn't. Its a fair sized pond. I let them go out during the day and then, usually around 3pm or so, they wander back to the coop for some easy food. In the mornings, I never feed them. I just let them out to the pond. Their stomach usually pulls them back to the coop. Now that they're getting older, the flock is splitting. The two males are each taking some of the females and steering them clear of each other. It was actually one of the ducks that led them back to the coop. The big drake reluctantly followed. I bet she was hungry or tired of being soaked. Its been raining here. With no shelter it can get tiresome, even for a duck. LOL

 

[tmorgan46]

This is Blondie. Color is so much different from all the others.
Troy & Tina

 

[Buck Oakes]

She's a cutie very good quality Muscovy

 

[Miss Lydia]

This is Blondie. Color is so much different from all the others.
Troy & Tina

She is gorgeous.