DEMENTED MUSCOVY DRAKE ATTACKING FROM BEHIND!

[ruthhope]

I am in NC and I don't know of a breeder other than ordering from Metzers but I don't think they send sexed.
Not sure if NH means New Hampshire? @ruthhope

I'm in NE Florida = Northeast Florida. I'm 60 miles south of JAX.

 

[RebinNH]

Yes, NH is New Hampshire. I ordered both of these as day olds from Metzer and they totally refuse to sex muscovy. Straight run is all they offer. I am fine with 2 drakes, just not this one. I am very serious when I say he is demented. I think I've always seen this from just a couple weeks old. He was always challenging everything - his pen, my picking him up....climbing or jumping on anything he finds....the athlete to an extreme. It seems surprising that he has not hurt himself yet. At the same time I called him the emotional one, as when I sat down, he was the one to come and sit under my legs.
Is there such a thing as neutering a duck? If there is, he NEEDS it, as his hormones are totally out of control. All he wants to do is constantly challenge and it is starting to effect the other calm and sweet brother. I think he is becoming suspicious of me, as I have to hold his brother down so often and for so long. Then the sweet brother pecks at him while he is down. That said the brother comes to me whenever I call and d. duck follows hissing all the way. Basically he never stops hissing, except to eat. He even stops eating when I feed them to come and watch me as I am inside cleaning their coop or am doing some other maintenance. If I empty a large dish pan (or the pool) to clean and add more water he stops to come and try to jump in/on it as I am rinsing and trying to put it back down. The other drake just goes on with what he's up to. I brought groceries home the other day and d. duck literally jumped all over the bags as I was trying to carry them in.
I really do not want more than 2 ducks, so I will need to either find a new home for this duck which is a very long shot or perhaps have him killed. I will not take him somewhere and leave him.
I have invested in a nice safe coop and run and really like having ducks! Especially muscovy!
I was wondering if any members have one too many females.

 

[ruthhope]

Yes, NH is New Hampshire. I ordered both of these as day olds from Metzer and they totally refuse to sex muscovy. Straight run is all they offer. I am fine with 2 drakes, just not this one. I am very serious when I say he is demented. I think I've always seen this from just a couple weeks old. He was always challenging everything - his pen, my picking him up....climbing or jumping on anything he finds....the athlete to an extreme. It seems surprising that he has not hurt himself yet. At the same time I called him the emotional one, as when I sat down, he was the one to come and sit under my legs.
Is there such a thing as neutering a duck? If there is, he NEEDS it, as his hormones are totally out of control. All he wants to do is constantly challenge and it is starting to effect the other calm and sweet brother. I think he is becoming suspicious of me, as I have to hold his brother down so often and for so long. Then the sweet brother pecks at him while he is down. That said the brother comes to me whenever I call and d. duck follows hissing all the way. Basically he never stops hissing, except to eat. He even stops eating when I feed them to come and watch me as I am inside cleaning their coop or am doing some other maintenance. If I empty a large dish pan (or the pool) to clean and add more water he stops to come and try to jump in/on it as I am rinsing and trying to put it back down. The other drake just goes on with what he's up to. I brought groceries home the other day and d. duck literally jumped all over the bags as I was trying to carry them in.
I really do not want more than 2 ducks, so I will need to either find a new home for this duck which is a very long shot or perhaps have him killed. I will not take him somewhere and leave him.
I have invested in a nice safe coop and run and really like having ducks! Especially muscovy!
I was wondering if any members have one too many females.

As i already wrote, i already have one seriously disturbed muscovy drake. i dont want another but will take yours if you can get him to me. I can likely swap him for a rescued female. I just dont know how to do this as you are in NH and I am in Florida.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have no idea if this will help https://www.poultryshowcentral.com/Muscovy_Ducks.html

Have you checked here if anyone has female scovy?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-hampshire.357963/

 

[RebinNH]

Thanks Miss Lydia and Ruth. I am still researching and may have an answer. Will know soon I hope and will let you know. Best to you for your suggestions and offer.

 

[RebinNH]

Thanks again to all with suggestions. I found a new home for the drake. He will live on a farm sanctuary. That is if he behaves himself when we go there today. There will be no other ducks but there are a goose and a couple of turkeys.
Meanwhile I found one and maybe 2 muscovy hens for sale nearby who are about the same age as mine! I will be picking them up this afternoon after I take the drake to his new home.
I'm still in a bit of shock with the changes but have hope. At Least I saved the drake from the butchers block!
Is there something I should be doing to make the transition easier for all? Should I be concerned about the health of the hens and maybe isolate them (if I can) at first?
Fingers crossed. Wish me luck!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Might be best to let them quarantine for the week so you can observe how they are eating, pooping etc. And can check them out and make sure they are healthy. Then set them up next to your resident ducks so they can meet and greet for a few days before integrating them into the flock. Bringing them to your home at this time of year they should integrate without much fuss.
That is so great you found the drake a home hopefully he will fit in and enjoy his life.

be sure to post pics and Congrats for finding some girls close by.

 

[RebinNH]

Hi Miss Lydia. It's not a flock until the 2 muscovy hens arrive. I only have the one remaining muscovy drake. Do you really think they'll need that long? I don't have a another warmer (contained) place to put them, unless my farmer's porch which is really no warmer than the outside (just screened) but at least safe. I could put a heat lamp in there and fix up a corner where I can pile some bedding - just to bring the temp up a couple degrees. After tonight predictions of low 30's for a while. Am I looking for signs of something like worms or anything else that may be contagious?

 

[Miss Lydia]

You can be very observant of the place you're getting them from and if they all look healthy then make up your own mind.
How old are these females? most likely if fully feathered they won't need heat. We're going down into the 20's and I don't put heat out for mine. As long as they are out of wind and have a place to snuggle down they should be fine.
Waterfowl are hardy and usually don't carry any illness unless kept in horrid conditions.

 

[RebinNH]

They are 5 months old and seem to be pretty much feathered though I have not seen them close up. They are SO small compared to the drakes (he had 2 along with a lot of other breed ducks). It was a totally muddy outside pen with not a lot of cover (except for hardware cloth) but all the ducks "seemed" fine. One of the females had her back to us and didn't move and I made that comment. He then threw in a bunch of mealy worms and of course they all went crazy. She turned around and ate some but then didn't go any further. I asked if the muscovy drakes were trying to to mate the hens and he said no. Just one of them a pekin. That drake was so huge! looked to be 17 pounds. He my have been puffed up. They are only 5 month according to the farmer. He has decided not to keep his ducks (first season with them) and has found someone to take them all - except for the 2 I want. He promised me just one but I think it makes sense to take both.