Duck Breed Focus - Muscovy

[Chaneys Ranch]

Thanks.. I'm trying to load a pic of the others but it doesn't seem to want to work... Lol... My phone seems to only like Facebook these days

Our local group is on facebook too. theres some folks that only have access to the internet by a phone and visit our thread there.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I've had a few females with long crests.
I agree that hissing is just the way the boys talk. Its not like goose or cat hissing. Head bobbing, sky beak clapping, and tail wagging are good also.
To me aggressive behavior would be when they lower their heads and stretch their necks out in front of them parallel to the ground. Raising their wings slightly away from their body like a cape while running toward you. Or leaping at you feet first.
From what I've noticed, even the sweetest most attached boys go through a major personality change when breeding hormones kick in. They are very nippy grabby at first. You can train them not to treat you like a female duck that belongs to them, but it takes time. They do change a lot.

Yes good points. Year old drakes don't stay usually unless we intend to keep one for a breeder.Those become table birds. They are very "Randy" fellas and if not taught manners will be a handful as they mature. My older guys are pretty mellow but sure seem to draw the hens when breeding season starts.My girls will choose a mature drake over a youngster every time.
I choose drakes every year by temperament first. Then I look at color, barring, pied and who the parents are. My lavender and pied are most popular, but my best hen is a black pied. I try to plan her with my barred lavender drake for awesome ducklings.

 

[jennifleur]

That sounds like a great pairing.

 

[duckstogoaround]

WOW thats not good. If one does that again, its best to do aggression training with them. Any type of poultry or waterfowl, immediately pick them up when it happens, hold them tightly (not so tight it harms them). I do a fast grab by the neck with one hand, other arm around those wings and body, grabbing the legs. Ducks have big strong wings and it really hurts to get flogged! Carry them around a bit, so they are fully aware you are head duck in this instance. Pinning a bird, which means holding them down to the ground in cases the bird is to large to pick up is another option. Its the natural way the birds show dominance to another bird in the flock. I have the biggest issues with my young ganders and thats how I have always handled it. Also works in cases of large tom turkeys! I learned from my grandmother to watch how your animals act, and use the methods they do themselves to teach them whats acceptable, and whats not.
Yes they do, its not as high a mohawk but they do have the ability. I only see my girls do it if someone bothers her nest, or if I have added new Muscovy to my flock. If a duck has a mohawk she is probably pretty angry or feels the need to be defensive/territorial.

They were around 11 weeks when one of them bit me and believe me I picked them up, held on to their beck(maybe a little to hard

) to make sure she didn't do it again. And I have seen them pining each other to the ground before it's funny to watch but I was wondering should I stop it? When the ducks were living inside in a fairly small coop one of them pinned the other down and it's funny because now that they are living outside the weaker one has been pinning the other one down. There hasn't been any problems ,like biting, towards me but they do show aggressive behavior.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: hmm.. do you just have 2, any girls?

 

[duckstogoaround]

hmm.. do you just have 2, any girls?

Yes we have two girls, when they were babies I questioned their gender but now that their red caruncles have grow I can see that they are both girls.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Girls are a little more cranky than boys it seems. I think you can win them over with treats tho, even a bit of romaine lettuce every day is a big hit.

 

[bornfree]

The Muscovy duck breed is native to Mexico, Central and South America. [COLOR=252525]The term "Muscovy" means "from the Moscow region", but these ducks are neither native there nor were they introduced there before they became known in Western Europe. It is not known exactly how the name came about, only that it very likely originated between 1550 and 1600, but it did not become widespread until some years later. The breed is unique in that it[COLOR=333333] is the only domestic duck not to have descended from the Wild Mallard.[/COLOR][/COLOR]
Very popular as a domestic breed, males are quite large, growing to about 30 inches long. The females grow to roughly half the males' size. Their feet have sharp claws, which allows them to perch, but these can deliver nasty scratches, so care should be taken when handling them. Although the Muscovy duck is originally a tropical bird, it adapted well to cooler climates, thriving in weather as cold as 10 °F and is able to survive even colder conditions.
[COLOR=333333]Muscovies were standardised in the British Waterfowl Standard in 1954 and now have 9 different colour varieties standardised. They first entered the APA's Standard of Perfection in 1874 and are standardised in White, Black, Blue and Chocolate.[/COLOR][COLOR=252525] The breed can also be found in[/COLOR][COLOR=000000] Pied (white with any color mixed), Lavender, Bronze and Ripple.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=000000]Details:[/COLOR]
Purpose: Dual
Egg laying: 60-150 annually
Weight: Drakes 10-13 lbs; Ducks 5.5-6.6 lbs
Broodiness: Average, good mothers


Pic by @ThreeBoysChicks Pic by @Chicken Kisses

Pic by @jmc Pic by @lauralou Pic by @ricklo

BYC Breed Reviews:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/muscovy

BYC Breed Discussions:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/130753/muscovy-keepers-share-your-pics/0_30
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/808184/incubation-progress-of-muscovy-eggs/0_30
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/801036/attention-muscovy-lovers/0_30

[COLOR=000000]Do you own Muscovies? Are you a Muscovie breeder? If so, please reply to this thread with the your thoughts and experiences, including:[/COLOR]
[COLOR=000000] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=000000]· [COLOR=000000]What made you decide to get this breed?[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=000000]· [COLOR=000000]Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=000000]· [COLOR=000000]What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=000000]· [COLOR=000000]Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc![/COLOR][/COLOR]

I have 3 ducks they are 5 month old 1 is huge its an all white muscovy was sold to e as a Pekin the other 2 are smaller al white .. I grew up in a farm with all kinds of animals and living in the US is hard to do that uless you own some land lol or your city ordinance allows it ...I got them because ive always wanted to stay living I a farm but after I got married hmmm not so possible beside working as well its a hectic shedule.... well after buying my own house convincdd my self jow I can own some chickens and ducks but settled with ducks they are not so loud lol

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have 3 ducks they are 5 month old 1 is huge its an all white muscovy was sold to e as a Pekin the other 2 are smaller al white .. I grew up in a farm with all kinds of animals and living in the US is hard to do that uless you own some land lol or your city ordinance allows it ...I got them because ive always wanted to stay living I a farm but after I got married hmmm not so possible beside working as well its a hectic shedule.... well after buying my own house convincdd my self jow I can own some chickens and ducks but settled with ducks they are not so loud lol

Thats wonderful you could follow your dream!

 

[bamadude]

You can dew it