Could use some feedback on Muscovy Hybrid situation.

[keeperofthehearth]

I have a Scovy 'mule' drake, Panda, fm a surprise hatching last summer. I had planned on keeping him since he was such a cutie and figuring he wouldn't be adding to Scovy gene pool wouldn't cause to much of a problem. He does 'breed' the Scovy hen's every chance he gets and DH tells me that could lead to fewer fertile eggs being laid... and subsequently fewer ducklings hatching out. I've thought what he's told me thru.... read some articles on mules and sterility & hate to admit but I do believe he has a case.

What are your thought on this? I would hate to loose too many potential ducklings by allowing him to breed the girls.... and he is good at it..... quicker/faster runner and lighter weight than the Scovy drakes. Here's a pic. Tks!!!

 

[RingedTeal]

If the others are breeding the hens wouldn't they still be fertile 'cause he is a perty one.

 

[Senna95]

Interesting question. I immagine that if he's creating sperm, then yes, it would effect egg fertility. Since once a sperm and an egg meet and the sperm enters the egg, then egg "closes" and no other sperm can get in. So if you have a "bad" or "mutant" sperm that enters the egg, causing it to "close" and not propperly fertilizing the egg then you have a problem.

However, I found this article: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00071669888791#preview

It says that a mule duck DOES NOT produce sperm. Hence, as long as some of your other drakes are also mating with your females, your mule duck shouldn't be effecting your eggs' fertility.

That's just my 2 cents worth, and my thoughts.

 

[jdywntr]

I had a very similar situation here. I had purchased 5 muscovy ducklings which turned out to be 4 males and 1 female.

I then got a rescue duckling that was a muscovy cross. I was planning on processing my excess drakes anyway but thought that I would try to keep "Stinky" (he was a house duck for about a week, hence the name) and he was huge and very nice looking, I think he was scovy/rouen.

My muscovy duck showed a clear preference to the males and it was Stinky that she liked/stayed with/mated with most. Against my DH's mild protest, Stinky went to freezer camp with everyone but one of the drakes.

I would think that having a mule would affect your hatch rate as the mule may breed more often with the ducks than the other drakes. You could wait to see what your hatch rate is this spring and compare to last years hatch rate before deciding what to do.

He is pretty though.

 

[morgan mc]

I would not worry about it, your hatch will be fine.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Thanks for the feedback! Senna95, that article was very helpful and interesting. Thanks for the link. I passed the info on to DH and will bookmark it also. Good to know. My niece will be happy as Panda is one of her favorite so now I won't hurry to re-home or have him for dinner... quite yet.

 

[sourland]

I would think that the only chance of him impacting the fertility of eggs laid would be if he prevents the other drakes from mating. Have you considered separating him from the main flock while they are laying/setting?

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Sourland, that was a consideration on our part. Except for the youngest (4mo.) Scovy drake, Panda, is at the bottom of the drake pecking order. As long it stays that way..... AND... he doesn't cause TOO much grief for the girls.... he can stay. Penning him up away fm the rest who free range ......not happening. I've done the penning away fm the main flock before with another drake that WOULD NOT stop fighting though both drakes were beginning to look torn/tattered to where patches of feathers were missing & bare skin showed.

No, I'd rather re-home him if it comes to that & while he looks pretty enough that someone would want him.