Dixie Chicks

[Alaskan]

I think, as long as they are not raised together as babies, it should be OK.

The problem is if the drake thinks that he is a rooster... And then tries to mount the hens which equals squished and injured or dead hen.

Chicken set-up would work just fine for Muscovy. With full flight the female Muscovy would probably roost with the chickens, but the males grow pretty large, and would probably stay on the ground or at least not high, maybe two feet up.

 

[perchie.girl]

I think, as long as they are not raised together as babies, it should be OK.

The problem is if the drake thinks that he is a rooster... And then tries to mount the hens which equals squished and injured or dead hen.

Chicken set-up would work just fine for Muscovy. With full flight the female Muscovy would probably roost with the chickens, but the males grow pretty large, and would probably stay on the ground or at least not high, maybe two feet up.

good to know on both counts.

deb

 

[minihorse927]

I know of a couple muscovy drakes that are several years old and they manage to roost in the barn rafters and they are about 15 to 20 feet up

 

[bamadude]

At about what age can they swim?

 

[Ravynscroft]

As soon as their webs hit the floor, lol...

Really, they can swim as quick as they can walk, but the down isn't waterproof so they'll get waterlogged and sink quickly.
Swimming for ducklings is limited to warm, shallow baths followed by towel dry and blow drying on low/med heat until their feathers start coming in and their oil gland matures.
Their belly feathers usually come in the quickest, so they float fine once those are in. Once they're fully feathered, approx 8 weeks or so I think, they can swim and dry themselves just fine.

 

[Beer can]

At about what age can they swim?

Mine hatched by a broody swam within a day. The mother's feathers rub off oils onto them and they don't get wet, stay buoyant. The first bunch I got were inside until we couldn't stand the smell of the pigs and were big enough to go out, they swam fine.

 

[hennible]

Yup. I put my hatchlings in the tub on their second day. Its nice to dry them if they don't have a mama (and you live where it is bloody cold). They are pretty good at drying themselves off though.

 

[hennible]

Here's Dot and Magpie today. These girls are something else, beyond friendly, if you open the patio door they come right in the house. They'll even bang on the door to get your attention. My hand raised rouen crosses, not a chance they think I'm evil. Can't wait until these kids lay, I'm pumped to have ducklings running around... and then in my freezer.

 

[vehve]

Speaking of keeping animals in the freezer, at the moment it's about 10F colder out there than in our freezer. Little baby bunnies are hopping about in their cage, not minding the temps at all. Those bunnies are crazy. We finally found some semi affordable waterers that should stay thawed down to -20C, hopefully those will arrive in the mail tomorrow. Once we get those installed in the bunny pen, everything will be fine and dandy again. Taking out water 5-6 times a day is getting a bit tiresome.

 

[hennible]

Tell me more about these waterers Felix.