Choosing a keeper drake (Muscovy)

[jdywntr]

I am not sure who I should keep for breeding. I have my current adult drake and 2 of his sons out of 1 of the hens. Unfortunately, I lost 2 younger females that were full flight. My hubby told me he'd seen an owl (after the fact) and the girls had started sleeping in a tree near the coop. So, I can't keep the 3 boys, dad and 2 sons.

My concerns are while my adult drake is good with everyone ( day olds to month old offspring) and gets the job done, he is not protective AT ALL of his ladies. He could care less about what the girls are doing and where they are and tends to hang out with my one hen that has showed no signs of broodiness. He also is kind of grungy. Muscovy are not as fond of water as other duck breeds but I don't think I have ever seen him bathe and he looks it. He is not molting but looks a mess. I have NEVER seen him hin the kiddie pool and when they had access to a creek I never saw him swimming, only on the shore.

One of his sons is a noticable bit larger and the other has more white in his coloring which I'd rather pass on to babies.

(honestly, I think I know what I want but just want some other opinions)

 

[sourland]

I have never known a muscovy drake to be protective of the flock. Maybe someone else has had a different experience? Disreputable and sort of funky has been my experience with many mature muscovy drakes. For me, a drake that is even tempered and no problem as compared to an unknown quantity - no question which I would keep.

 

[SilkieSensation]

I would keep which ever has the most qualities on my want list & the least on my undesirable list.

 

[jdywntr]

Thanks silkiesensation. I think I feel a bit guilty about considering sending my adult drake to freezer camp and just wanted a little encouragement on the right choice.

 

[Going Quackers]

Well frankly personality plays a key role, unless the bird is utter garbage in quality. My one drake is not a bather either, we have now taken to tossing him in the pools then he will bath? i don't what it is, he can get in/out but prefers not too. Mind you scovie drakes are about as agile as a hippo on skates so that doesn't surprise me much.

As for protection, i see my boys with the girls BUT they don't always, drakes at least my experience with Muscovy are not like roosters, many a time the ladies don't want them there anyways and head off on their own.

Drakes can be nasty birds, and those 'scovie boys are capable(as you know of damage) if the bird has good conformation and a decent personality that is to be taken into consideration.

Plus there are no guarantees any of the sons will be better, they could be worse... i guess i use the old a bird in the hand type of thinking. I would like a blue drake, i have two right now BUT i also have their daddy, i cannot keep that many drakes, IF and i mean IF i chose to keep my darkest boy, i'd have to let him grow up and see if he was different than his dad(who is a pain in the butt, he's not nasty, just annoying and loves to fight with the other drake) that said i would not part with BD(black drake) till i was sure his son could do a better job and see how he behaved with my ladies, i can always sell, i cannot bring back though.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well frankly personality plays a key role, unless the bird is utter garbage in quality. My one drake is not a bather either, we have now taken to tossing him in the pools then he will bath? i don't what it is, he can get in/out but prefers not too. Mind you scovie drakes are about as agile as a hippo on skates so that doesn't surprise me much.

As for protection, i see my boys with the girls BUT they don't always, drakes at least my experience with Muscovy are not like roosters, many a time the ladies don't want them there anyways and head off on their own.

Drakes can be nasty birds, and those 'scovie boys are capable(as you know of damage) if the bird has good conformation and a decent personality that is to be taken into consideration.

Plus there are no guarantees any of the sons will be better, they could be worse... i guess i use the old a bird in the hand type of thinking. I would like a blue drake, i have two right now BUT i also have their daddy, i cannot keep that many drakes, IF and i mean IF i chose to keep my darkest boy, i'd have to let him grow up and see if he was different than his dad(who is a pain in the butt, he's not nasty, just annoying and loves to fight with the other drake) that said i would not part with BD(black drake) till i was sure his son could do a better job and see how he behaved with my ladies, i can always sell, i cannot bring back though.

Great advise and I love the part about drakes being as agile as hippos on skates. that really got my mind whirling . lol I agree though on the protection part. Most of the times I see my 2 drakes [the other one is confined to front yard] he's elderly. Just standing around trying to look good while the girls are all scattered about doing their thing. I think all my birds rely on the roosters to give the warning, then they make their own minds up to respond or not. My chickens head for cover the ducks usually just keep doing what they are doing. Never have figured that one out.

 

[Snownoir]

I am not sure who I should keep for breeding. I have my current adult drake and 2 of his sons out of 1 of the hens. Unfortunately, I lost 2 younger females that were full flight. My hubby told me he'd seen an owl (after the fact) and the girls had started sleeping in a tree near the coop. So, I can't keep the 3 boys, dad and 2 sons.

My concerns are while my adult drake is good with everyone ( day olds to month old offspring) and gets the job done, he is not protective AT ALL of his ladies. He could care less about what the girls are doing and where they are and tends to hang out with my one hen that has showed no signs of broodiness. He also is kind of grungy. Muscovy are not as fond of water as other duck breeds but I don't think I have ever seen him bathe and he looks it. He is not molting but looks a mess. I have NEVER seen him hin the kiddie pool and when they had access to a creek I never saw him swimming, only on the shore.

One of his sons is a noticable bit larger and the other has more white in his coloring which I'd rather pass on to babies.

(honestly, I think I know what I want but just want some other opinions)

I'd look at application of use, and then function over form. Why do you have scovies? If food is at all a consideration there, then I'd look at function (bigger drake means bigger ducklings) over form (passing white down to offspring). How many hens do you have? Can the flock handle a juvenile drake and adult drake until your young one is of age to test his mettle?

If he looks crappy, but that doesn't seem to be affecting his health, I wouldn't stress his grunge. I had a drake that looked like he dust bathed 5 times a day. He's at a friend's now, and bathes, but just... looks dirty. But that doesn't stop him from doing his job. Also, I don't think I've seen a protective drake either. My boys alerted, and would stand closest to the "threat" but he wouldn't do anything about it if it were required of him.