Are These Drakes or Not?

[LaFemmeKatia]

I have assumed for like a year that my Muscovy ducks are drakes. But they don’t have those awesome huge caruncles that I see on other people’s Muscovies. Also, they make a soft little chortling noise when they are hanging out together and I understand males don’t do that. They are about 13 months old at this time. Can one of the experts here help me out?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They all look like hens

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

Look like girls to me !

When mine do that little noise I call it duck purring - they do it when we clean their beds out and they have lovely clean shavings and straw down.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

They all look like hens

Look like girls to me !

When mine do that little noise I call it duck purring - they do it when we clean their beds out and they have lovely clean shavings and straw down.

I can’t believe it! I actually wanted hens originally but the lady who I got them from said they were drakes.
My next question then is, why have none of them ever laid an egg?

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

Could be diet, lifestyle, genetics to explain the slow start.

Or they have started and are hiding them !

Have you seen any barging between them where they use their chest and necks on each other to try and get the other to submit. Kind of looks a bit like thumb wars ?

My KC girls didnt start laying until nearly a year old - but they are contrary madams.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Could be diet, lifestyle, genetics to explain the slow start.

Or they have started and are hiding them !

Have you seen any barging between them where they use their chest and necks on each other to try and get the other to submit. Kind of looks a bit like thumb wars ?

My KC girls didnt start laying until nearly a year old - but they are contrary madams.

I have never noticed that barging behavior. They are actually a very harmonious little group.
I might have to snoop around their hangout places a little more and search for hidden treasure!

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

I have never noticed that barging behavior. They are actually a very harmonious little group.
I might have to snoop around their hangout places a little more and search for hidden treasure!

Yeap - still thinking girls !

Let us know if you find anything too !

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Muscovy hens are wicked sneaky about hiding their nests.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Update on my Muscovy mystery. My husband and I were walking by the little creek that goes past their pond and we found... a smashed EGG.
I don’t know why it was by the creek and I don’t know why it was smashed (some egg stealing predator?) but it was an egg. And I didn’t lay it there!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Lots of critters will eat egg contents. Opossum and skunk come to mind.