Duck Breed Focus - Muscovy

[Doodlemom]

My four scovies. Turned out 2 boys (Wilbur and Dudley) and 2 girls. Having a harder time naming the girls. I think they are around 9 weeks old but that's me figuring I've had them 8 weeks and figured they were at least a week old when I got them. A lady at the local feed mill gave them to me. Never in a million years would I have imagined that the ducks that scared me as a kid living in FL would I have 4 of them now as an adult living in Ohio. Lol

 

[Miss Lydia]

My four scovies. Turned out 2 boys (Wilbur and Dudley) and 2 girls. Having a harder time naming the girls. I think they are around 9 weeks old but that's me figuring I've had them 8 weeks and figured they were at least a week old when I got them. A lady at the local feed mill gave them to me. Never in a million years would I have imagined that the ducks that scared me as a kid living in FL would I have 4 of them now as an adult living in Ohio. Lol

Aren't they Pretty. You picked a nice friendly breed too.

After having a hair raising experience with geese when my kids were small, I never would have thought I'd have geese either but I have 2.

 

[Doodlemom]

Aren't they Pretty. You picked a nice friendly breed too. 

After having a hair raising experience with geese when my kids were small, I never would have thought I'd have geese either but I have 2. 

I'm still working on getting Geese with the husband. Lol we have a resident pair of Canadians on the pond and we really don't want them down there. I was also thinking about swans. I know they do a good job of keeping those off ponds.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm still working on getting Geese with the husband. Lol we have a resident pair of Canadians on the pond and we really don't want them down there. I was also thinking about swans. I know they do a good job of keeping those off ponds.

Yes they do but Swans are pretty territorial and can really injure others when in breeding or brooding mode. Same as Canada geese.

Why do you not want the geese on your pond?

 

[Doodlemom]

Yes they do but Swans are pretty territorial and can really injure others when in breeding or brooding mode. Same as  Canada geese.

Why do you not want the geese on your pond? 

The Canadians won't let us enjoy the pond. I was hoping by removing the overpopulated cattails they would leave but nope. Plus the other species of ducks that are starting to show up are constantly chased until they leave. I thought about sending my dogs down to chase the geese but I don't want my dogs thinking they can chase my ducks and chickens.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The Canadians won't let us enjoy the pond. I was hoping by removing the overpopulated cattails they would leave but nope. Plus the other species of ducks that are starting to show up are constantly chased until they leave. I thought about sending my dogs down to chase the geese but I don't want my dogs thinking they can chase my ducks and chickens.

Yep not a good idea to get the dogs involved.

Sounds like they maybe nesting near the pond you could always find the nest and remove it then eventually they would move on. But then you maybe killing goslings. All water fowl are territorial when they start mating and brooding. Some just being bigger are more bullies.

 

[Doodlemom]

Yep not a good idea to get the dogs involved.


Sounds like they maybe nesting near the pond you could always find the nest and remove it then eventually they would move on. But then you maybe killing goslings.  All water fowl are territorial when they start mating and brooding. Some just being bigger are more bullies.

The farm we bought sat empty for 10 years until last summer when we moved in. The same pair of geese come to the pond every year and raise their family. I don't want to harm them and I don't want to wreck their nest once they build it but someone has to give. I was told by a couple of people that the scovies are good at keeping geese off the pond but I don't know how true that is.

 

[JanetMarie]

@Doodlemom Best not to let your dogs chase the Canada geese, since it is illegal to do so. It's also illegal to tamper with their eggs, and their nest. If you want to remove their eggs, or nest you have to get a permit.

You can discourage them wanting to nest there by letting the grass and cattails grow long. Geese like short manicured lawns, just like people. You can also get swan decoys to place in the water, which is supposed to keep geese away, but around here I've seen both swans and geese swimming close to each other.

 

[Doodlemom]

@Doodlemom
 Best not to let your dogs chase the Canada geese, since it is illegal to do so.  It's also illegal to tamper with their eggs, and their nest.  If you want to remove their eggs, or nest you have to get a permit.

You can discourage them wanting to nest there by letting the grass and cattails grow long.  Geese like short manicured lawns, just like people.  You can also get swan decoys to place in the water, which is supposed to keep geese away, but around here I've seen both swans and geese swimming close to each other.

Here in Trumbull County you are allowed to shake their eggs but I would have to call fish and game regarding chasing. This pair makes their nest or did in the past by smashing the cattails down off shore until there was a lovely big mound and then she laid her eggs. I figured by riding the 4 wheeler around the pond every evening they would leave but nope. We've even target practice (not at them) and that doesn't faze them.

 

[Doodlemom]

My kids watching mom put netting over the chicken run.