Anyone keep Muscovy drakes with other breeds?

[WaddleWaddle]

What breeds do you keep your Muscovy drakes with and how do they seem to get along? Are they kept with other drakes or with ducks?

 

[Going Quackers]

Yes, i do. I have some buff orpingtons, they were actually raised with 2 Muscovy who turned out to be drakes. They consider them to be their ducks(they were bought as sexed females) the rest of my flock kinda ignore the buffs, frankly they are pretty capable of holding their own, i had been concerned but it's been unnecessary.

Just in case you don't know any mallard derived duck bred with a Muscovy produces mules.

 

[WaddleWaddle]

Thank you! I currently have 3 Muscovy drakes who are about a year old. We got them from friends who were moving (and our chickens as well). I have always wanted some pekin, khaki campbell and Rouen's and was hoping to get some in the spring. I plan on only getting females and was worried that the size difference may be an issue. The girls would be kept separate until they are large enough to hold their own.

 

[Going Quackers]

Thank you! I currently have 3 Muscovy drakes who are about a year old. We got them from friends who were moving (and our chickens as well). I have always wanted some pekin, khaki campbell and Rouen's and was hoping to get some in the spring. I plan on only getting females and was worried that the size difference may be an issue. The girls would be kept separate until they are large enough to hold their own.

You shouldn't, my buffs hold their own and they are not that big, my drakes are huge here.. guess i grow 'em big lol

For comparison, one of my buffs and one of the drakes she houses and forages with.

 

[WaddleWaddle]

That makes me feel a lot better. I was really worried that I would have to do all kinds of arranging to keep the peace. How many drakes and ducks do you have? I currently have the three drakes and would like to have about 12 ducks. At what age do you think the girls would be large enough to go in with the drakes?

 

[ducksinarow]

I would go with the Pekins and Rouens. KC are small lightweight ducks. Pekins and Rouens are considered large they would go together good.

 

[Going Quackers]

That makes me feel a lot better. I was really worried that I would have to do all kinds of arranging to keep the peace. How many drakes and ducks do you have? I currently have the three drakes and would like to have about 12 ducks. At what age do you think the girls would be large enough to go in with the drakes?

Aren't they cute! well the general rule of thumb is 2-3 per drake, my ratios here are a hot mess lol I have 7 drakes and 12 ducks, so 19 for the big birds( i keep calls too but their separate) I would say by a few months because drakes can be sometimes just to much, if you get my drift, my buffs were raised with the scovies, we had a dog get into the nest(ours) and caused all sort of troubles, premature hatching of the eggs and these two we saved, so when they reached not to much of an age i had already two young sexed buffs, so i pooled them together.

Huge difference, the buffs were basically 2kws older but dwarfed those scovies, as time went by of coarse those boys caught up, so they became a flock, they free range and still house together.



Generally, when introducing young not raised by a duck here, i allow a lot of see, talk through pens, so the birds become accustomed to the newbies...

Now i do feel i should mention, adding females will change the dynamics heavily, drakes do fight over females and will establish an entirely new pecking order. I have always had drakes/ducks it started that way, and i have continued it but again a whole new ballgame, one to be carefully thought out.

 

[WaddleWaddle]

Originally before we acquired the 11 hens and 3 muscovies was to get chickens and ducks this spring. As far as ducks go I wanted khaki Campbell, Rouen and pekins as straight runs. I truthfully wasn't interested in muscovies. Our friends (best man in our wedding and his wife) were moving and couldn't take their chickens so I said we would take them. They gave us their chickens as well as their coop, awesome! Then a couple days later he mentions their ducks to my husband, he told my husband he thought they were 2 females and 1 male but said I'm not really sure they are my wife's ducks I just buy their food. Come to find out the are all males. I have come to really like the muscovies but still really want some of the other breeds I originally wanted. So now I am trying to figure out how I can have both.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Originally before we acquired the 11 hens and 3 muscovies was to get chickens and ducks this spring. As far as ducks go I wanted khaki Campbell, Rouen and pekins as straight runs. I truthfully wasn't interested in muscovies. Our friends (best man in our wedding and his wife) were moving and couldn't take their chickens so I said we would take them. They gave us their chickens as well as their coop, awesome! Then a couple days later he mentions their ducks to my husband, he told my husband he thought they were 2 females and 1 male but said I'm not really sure they are my wife's ducks I just buy their food. Come to find out the are all males. I have come to really like the muscovies but still really want some of the other breeds I originally wanted. So now I am trying to figure out how I can have both.

We'll one plus to getting another breed to go with your Scovy drakes is birth control. once they have their first set of ducklings you won't have to worry about any more hatching. until you buy more to bring in. I am not sure what top weight is on a KC duck but I know Pekins and Rouens could hold their own with a big Scovy drake. My drakes when mature are around 15lbs, and their ducks are average 5-6 lbs. so that's a big difference in weight and these girls do fine.

 

[WaddleWaddle]

Ducksinarow had mentioned that KC would probably be too small which is fine.

One thing I was wondering is once the girls are large enough to go with the boys and once they have had some time to meet and greet across a fence line should I seperate the drakes and add 3 ducks with each for a period of time to form a group and then reintroduce everyone back together or am I totally over thinking this whole thing!!!!