buying muscovies

[chickengoose14]

im thinking about buying some muscovies from a friend how long would i need to keep them in a pen so theyd get use to the place and once there acting normal could i let them on our pond or would they fly away.

 

[Kevin565]

You can let them onto the pond after about a month but they can still be easily taken by predators.

 

[bluejeans]

taken by predators .. honest-------- i dont live any where near this person .. though i do hear muscovy's are mighty good table fair

 

[learycow]

Do you have other ducks? Its always easier to adjust them to a new place if there are other ducks they can follow.
I would keep them cooped or penned for at least a few weeks. That will get them used to you and their new surroundings.
And maybe create some sort of schedule that they will look forward to. Like feeding them at night.
I feed mine first thing in the morning when they all get let out for the day and again at night. So come night time, they are all near the door to their coops waiting to be fed and put in for the night.

And muscovy ducks don't care too much for ponds. Mine seem to prefer a small tub or water or even puddles. I rarely see them swimming like the rest.

 

[jdywntr]

Keep them penned for at least a week, more is better if they are adults. My muscovy aren't really into the creek we have here. There are a few spots along it where pools have been created but they aren't in there very much.

They can fly so you will need to decide if you want to ground them by clipping a wing or leave them intact to help with predator evasion.

 

[chickengoose14]

Do you have other ducks? Its always easier to adjust them to a new place if there are other ducks they can follow.
I would keep them cooped or penned for at least a few weeks. That will get them used to you and their new surroundings.
And maybe create some sort of schedule that they will look forward to. Like feeding them at night.
I feed mine first thing in the morning when they all get let out for the day and again at night. So come night time, they are all near the door to their coops waiting to be fed and put in for the night.

And muscovy ducks don't care too much for ponds. Mine seem to prefer a small tub or water or even puddles. I rarely see them swimming like the rest.

i do have other ducks but not muscovies. and we dont really have predator problems eny more we took care of that.

 

[LaynaDon95]

When I bought my adult scovies, I only had to keep them penned for 2 days and never had a problem with them trying to leave. Mine never liked me or their new home though and the drake quickly got aggressive. Hence the reason I am Muscovy free now. I had heard they were amazingly friendly and all that, and maybe most are, but mine were not. I will most likely never have any again. Mine went to live with some friends and love their pond. One even recently hatched out some babies. They are happy, I'm happy, everyone's happy. But muscovies aren't for me.