Have chickens, want ducks.

[DukesDucks]

I would definitely go Muscovy. I admit to bias as that is the only kind I have had. Their eggs are enormous and popular so easy to sell. Hatch timing is longer - 35 days. The males get very large. I have roasted several, and unlike some other breeds, are not greasy. All dark meat but maybe that is true of all ducks. They are more bathers/splashers than swimmers and mine are quite happy with a couple of kiddy pools. Good moms and my females share nesting duties. Mine free-range during the day and have to easy to train to return to the safety of the coop at night. To top it off, those caruncles the males grow are so ugly, they're cute.

 

[JCaseyHammond]

Loving all this great info from everyone. I have been leaning towards muscovies. The hatchery that I work with for my meat birds and layers has muscovies as their only duck option. I would ideally like to buy chicks through them since I have a relationship with them and they always have high quality chicks. Havent committed to them yet though so I'm still looking around.

In terms of brooding, I'm assuming its alot like brooding chickens in terms of time frame and temperature? ie. brooding 4-8 weeks depending on time of year? And starting heat at 90f with decreasing heat by 5 degrees per week.

Not sure because mine are broody raised

 

[Ratchnick]

Your best bet would be silver appleyards, saxony, or moscovy. The problem with moscovies is the hens are very small, also they fly. But they have babies like crazy and go feral pretty easily.

Genetics is super important. Go to holderreads for the best genitics on appleyards and saxonies. In his book he talks about raising saxony as broilers. That's what I'm doing this spring.

 

[iwltfum]

also they fly. But they have babies like crazy and go feral pretty easily.

Ok I have a question about that that I have not found a straight answer to yet. Thank you for your reply, by the way. Regarding muscovies specifically- Will they fly away and i will never see them again once they decided to do this? If they have a good place to bed down at night and plenty of space will it just be that once they get over crowded, the cast off ones will fly away and find a new home? Will they try to migrate for the winter if they are able?- I live in maine. Do they fly around for the day and then come back to the coop at night? What causes them to go feral? Sorry, lots of questions here. I'm assuming clipping a wing regularly is the only answer to keeping free range flying ducks from taking off for good? Do muscovies fly as well as, say, mallards do?

 

[JCaseyHammond]

Ok I have a question about that that I have not found a straight answer to yet. Thank you for your reply, by the way. Regarding muscovies specifically- Will they fly away and i will never see them again once they decided to do this? If they have a good place to bed down at night and plenty of space will it just be that once they get over crowded, the cast off ones will fly away and find a new home? Will they try to migrate for the winter if they are able?- I live in maine. Do they fly around for the day and then come back to the coop at night? What causes them to go feral? Sorry, lots of questions here. I'm assuming clipping a wing regularly is the only answer to keeping free range flying ducks from taking off for good? Do muscovies fly as well as, say, mallards do?

Muscovies, even the great big drakes, can fly though mine prefer to waddle around where the food is.

 

[neo71665]

Muscovy were the biggest PITA I've ever had. We started off with mallards but my cousin had some "ducks" he wanted to get rid of so my dad got them. Stinking things were something else. Was actually glad when the foxes started picking them off. Been years and I still think there is duck crap on the roof from them.

 

[DukesDucks]

I have never had my Muscovy drakes fly although, especially when young, the males run around flapping like mad. The females do fly and have been in my trees, and on the garage roof. I saw a young drake grab his sisters leg as she flew over him, and yank her to the ground. I think he was jealous and she was showing off. They browse around the yard during the day, but their food and water is in their run attached to the coop. They never wander too far from home. I call then back to run just before dark with special treats which they only get at that time. Granted I have a flock of 11 so don't know the dynamics of large flocks like you are considering.

 

[SolarDuck]

If you are considering Muscovy as meat birds keep in mind that they eat much more than mallard-derived breeds so the feed cost will be higher, and it takes them much longer to reach their full size so they aren't the most time and cost effective meat birds.

 

[iwltfum]

If you are considering Muscovy as meat birds keep in mind that they eat much more than mallard-derived breeds so the feed cost will be higher, and it takes them much longer to reach their full size so they aren't the most time and cost effective meat birds.

Good to consider. I'd like them to be able to forage a good bit for their own food. I figured the pond is a good source of food and we have poultry designed pasture mix in the pasture around the pond. Do you know about any data regarding the amount of feed grain ducks eat per day/week/year if that's all they're eating?

 

[iwltfum]

Muscovy were the biggest PITA I've ever had. We started off with mallards but my cousin had some "ducks" he wanted to get rid of so my dad got them. Stinking things were something else. Was actually glad when the foxes started picking them off. Been years and I still think there is duck crap on the roof from them.

Why were they a pain for you? Sounds like they were getting up on buildings and pooping? Anything else you didnt like about them? Was it just ducks in general or specifically the muscovies? Just trying to get a well rounded cross section of opinions.