- Dec 2, 2012
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Muscovy ducks are Carinosa species, all other domestic ducks are mallard ( Anas ) descended. It is possible to cross Muscovys with other species of duck, but like breeding a horse to an *** to get a mule, the resultant hybrid will be sterile. Being a tropical tree duck, Muscovys are not greasy at all, they have less fat than other ducks, and the meat is much more like fine beef in texture. They are very widely considfered the best ducks for eating. The main reason you see Pekins and not Muscovys raised for meat on a commercial scale is that the Muscovy drakes are much larger than the hens, making for a much less uniform market size, and the white ducks are easier ( and cleaner looking) to pluck. However, the great taste of Muscovy meat makes them a favorite in Europe, where there is less concern about turning out a uniform product. Muscovys are very broody and many hatcheries use them to incubate other ducks' eggs as well as turkeys and peafowl; normal incubation for domestic ducks is 28 days, but 35 for Muscovys, same as turkeys. They are great foragers too. Ours incubate and raise their own young, we don't need to handle the ducklings at all until it's time to clip wing feathers, once they are in full plumage. They start laying in spring the year after they are hatched and lay heavily from April through October. With 9 adult hens and a couple of July hatched hens from last year, we have had 16 dozen eggs to sell and to eat, so far this year. A great breed of utilitarian homestead duck.
