- Apr 1, 2013
- 37
- 2
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Hi all,
I'm wondering if anybody has experience with muscovy/mallard crosses and could give their advice on this wee cutie. My boss found her(?) wandering around a field alone when she was a few hours old. She assumed it was a muscovy as she keeps a huge flock of muscovies and knew there were a few mums sitting on eggs nearby, but none accepted her so she brought this tiny duckling to me. On seeing her I instantly asked if she was a mallard as she was so tiny and had the little eye-stripe I'd never seen on a muscovy before, but my boss insisted she must be a muscovy.
Anyway, 9 weeks later she is the cutest, sweetest little duck ever!
She has gone from the classic black/yellow duckling pattern to solid dark colour and a little white collar. Her wing feathers are just developing now and are a glossy black/green, whereas her chest is a slightly rippled black/bronze colour. After a bit of Googling I now wonder if she's possibly a hybrid, and if maybe her Dad was actually a mallard? She's really tiny, which is why I've assumed she's a she but I suppose could just be a small boy if Daddy was a mallard... Either way 'Frankie the Freebie' is adored 
Has anybody experience in muscovy x mallards? What should I expect in terms of fertility, health, etc. Is there a chance she will one day fly away? Here a few pics for reference. Sorry, I usually don't post pics with me in them but it's the only good one of her head shape that I have! Plus she looks like she's smiling and this makes me happy
When I got her home from work
Perked up after 3 days of cuddles and the reassurance that the world is not all cold, alone and rainy
@2 weeks old
@8 weeks and fully conscious of the treats I keep in my pockets.
@8 weeks, you can see the chest colour developing.
@9 weeks, looking a bit drake-ish here...?
I'm wondering if anybody has experience with muscovy/mallard crosses and could give their advice on this wee cutie. My boss found her(?) wandering around a field alone when she was a few hours old. She assumed it was a muscovy as she keeps a huge flock of muscovies and knew there were a few mums sitting on eggs nearby, but none accepted her so she brought this tiny duckling to me. On seeing her I instantly asked if she was a mallard as she was so tiny and had the little eye-stripe I'd never seen on a muscovy before, but my boss insisted she must be a muscovy.
Anyway, 9 weeks later she is the cutest, sweetest little duck ever!
Has anybody experience in muscovy x mallards? What should I expect in terms of fertility, health, etc. Is there a chance she will one day fly away? Here a few pics for reference. Sorry, I usually don't post pics with me in them but it's the only good one of her head shape that I have! Plus she looks like she's smiling and this makes me happy
When I got her home from work
Perked up after 3 days of cuddles and the reassurance that the world is not all cold, alone and rainy
@2 weeks old
@8 weeks and fully conscious of the treats I keep in my pockets.
@8 weeks, you can see the chest colour developing.
@9 weeks, looking a bit drake-ish here...?
