Can muscovy and cayuga produce offspring?

[Buttercup Chillin]

I process Muscovy males at 12 weeks and the ducks at 17 weeks or a little later this time around. But the males definately at 12 weeks, otherwise they get to big and will start to get a testosterone induced stronger taste from what I hear. The ducks need a few more weeks to grow out, though.

So if your boys are 12 weeks old or older, time to process.

If you don't have much freezer space, do like I do. I skin and I package the legs separate from the breasts it takes less freezer room and I cook them separately at any rate. But if you want whole birds for roasting that won't work. Or do some both ways.

Oh, I keep 1M/3F ratio on my Muscovies

 

[savingdogs]

Really? We thought the legs tasted a little strong when we processed at 12 weeks.

I'll tell my hubby to get on it....his job, not mine. With all this mating going on I don't want any females drowned. I think I will keep the water level low until he gets them processed.

I'm so thankful for BYC. I think I have prevented so many mistakes with the things I have learned on here. You guys are awesome.

 

[chickincoop]

Our almost 10 week old male Muscovies are already getting aggressive with the females and each other. We planned to process at 12 weeks (the males) but we decided to butcher a couple today. They both dressed out (skinless) at 3 1/2 pounds. Our 12 week old males were granted a reprieve because we are keeping a HUGE barred blue for breeding and my sister is taking a solid blue (who is also huge) and a solid black along with several females who are a bit younger to start breeding meat ducks of her own. I plan to wait a few more weeks to process any females not re-homed because they are, indeed, considerably smaller than the males. ( By the way, live weight on the two almost 10 week males was around 9 pounds each. They are gaining almost a pound a week!) They free range all day and are fed feed in the evening.

 

[Snakeman]

I thought the glands in the male Muscovy kicked in at 17 weeks. I'll have to look that up before my little ones get too old.

 

[inlovewitharunnerduck]

Does anyone know if a cross between a Blue Runner and a Cayuga would also be 'mules?' I have some ducklings like this.

Also, I have some ducklings that are half mallard half Blue Runner. Will they also be Mules?

 

[savingdogs]

I thought only muscovy are different and produce mules?

 

[WVMHP]

Sourland,

Hi. I know I'm replying to a really old post but it sounds like you have more knowledge and experience on this issue than anyone else. I had four Muscovy (or hinnies??) just hatch. Two are chocolate pied like the hen and two are black pied like my Muscovy drake. However, the two black pied ducklings have jet-black bills and are HUGE compared to the chocolate pied ducklings. They were twice the size at hatching and more vigorous than their siblings. I did have a Cayuga drake in with that hen before she laid her eggs so it is entirely possible I now have four hinnies or two black-pied hinnies and two chocolate-pied Muscovy. How do I tell for sure? I understand their eggs are infertile but do you know if female hinnies make good broodies? Here are my ducklings:

 

[Poultry mum]

I have males and females of both cayuga and muscovy that are reaching sexual maturity. Already I'm noticing the drakes are pestering the hens of the wrong breed! Grrrrr. I was hoping they would keep to their own kind. I guess that was wishful thinking.

Does anyone know what cayuga/muscovy offspring would be like? I have more muscovy drakes but my one cayuga is....active. ahem.

If I wanted to sell purebred hatching eggs or produce purebred babies, how long would I have to keep the breeds separated? We have kinda one big barnyard for everyone and they all like it.

If anyone has a photo of a cayuga/muscovy I would be extremely interested in seeing what a cross looks like. Or wondering what it would taste like as well.

If you want pure bred scovies separation from the other breeds would have to be for about 2-3 weeks this give the drake time for all that “squishing” he has to do time for the eggs to become fertile and time for your girls to build there piles and nests as they only lay 1 egg a day...

 

[SolarDuck]

Sourland,

Hi. I know I'm replying to a really old post but it sounds like you have more knowledge and experience on this issue than anyone else. I had four Muscovy (or hinnies??) just hatch. Two are chocolate pied like the hen and two are black pied like my Muscovy drake. However, the two black pied ducklings have jet-black bills and are HUGE compared to the chocolate pied ducklings. They were twice the size at hatching and more vigorous than their siblings. I did have a Cayuga drake in with that hen before she laid her eggs so it is entirely possible I now have four hinnies or two black-pied hinnies and two chocolate-pied Muscovy. How do I tell for sure? I understand their eggs are infertile but do you know if female hinnies make good broodies? Here are my ducklings:

Can you post pictures of each duckling individually? The bigger ones might just be boys if they are all muscovy, although generally if they are all muscovy they are all the same size at hatching.