breeding muscoveys ?

[poultrykeeper08]

i have a pair and the female just started laying 4 days ago . she made a nest in a dog house in one of my barns and has 4 eggs in the nest so far .

i was wandering, after the eggs hatch should i keep the male with her or seperate them ?

 

[DuckLady]

Separate them.
Muscovy drakes are known to eat small things, like mice and chicks and baby gophers, like that.

 

[josh_bigler]

it actually depends on the drake, some will eat them, mine however is scared of the hens because everytime he gets close they chase him off!

 

[Emzyyy]

OMG i heard they eat small rodents i didn't know they would eat chicks?! OMG THATS WHERE OUR NEIGHBOR'S WENT!! she just layed more eggs but won't sit on them I want to get a bater so I can hatch them he said I could they don't do anything w/ the eggs.

 

[sandspoultry]

We have raised our Muscovies all together for 10+ years and we have never had any issues of the drakes attacking the ducklings.

Steve in NC

 

[josh_bigler]

Quote:
thank you, someone who has bred them for 10 years +, i read and read all this stuff to say separate them but i never seperated mine and my drake hasnt even thought about bothering them, i just thought i had a nice drake, but i also just talked to my neighbor and he's never had a problem, but i do know once they hatch be carefull not to get too close, sometimes like in my case the mothers can be quite mean if you get too close and try to attack you lol,

 

[bestponymilo]

I'd seperate them just to be sure. My drake tried to eat the ducklings

Mom didn't do anything to protect the babies, I had to go rescue them