Help please transport and new home of pekin ducks and muscovy ducklings

[dovahkiin]

Hey so I am bringing home 3 full grown pekin ducks this week as well as some muscovy babies that are about 5 weeks old. I have a large crate to transport the perkins and was hoping to use a Cat carrier for the babies. I'm gonna try and fit the dog crate int he back of the truck and not the bed as to not traumatize them. They are only about a 25min drive away. We have a duck area that's rather large about 20 by 25feet for at night with a house and a little pool. I worry about hawks and owls but I would love for them to be able to free range we have a huge yard about a quarter acre that's fenced in by 6foot chain link that keeps away most predators except those that fly. I also have chickens in a different area they are not currently free ranging they have a run and are getting an aviary but I would love to have them all hang out during the day. Is this possible or even a good idea? Am I doing this right? I grew up with ducks but have never had muscovy or pekins and I've never had them at the same time as chickens the ducks are female except I dont know the sexes of the ducklings.

 

[free range possum]

Hey so I am bringing home 3 full grown pekin ducks this week as well as some muscovy babies that are about 5 weeks old. I have a large crate to transport the perkins and was hoping to use a Cat carrier for the babies. I'm gonna try and fit the dog crate int he back of the truck and not the bed as to not traumatize them. They are only about a 25min drive away. We have a duck area that's rather large about 20 by 25feet for at night with a house and a little pool. I worry about hawks and owls but I would love for them to be able to free range we have a huge yard about a quarter acre that's fenced in by 6foot chain link that keeps away most predators except those that fly. I also have chickens in a different area they are not currently free ranging they have a run and are getting an aviary but I would love to have them all hang out during the day. Is this possible or even a good idea? Am I doing this right? I grew up with ducks but have never had muscovy or pekins and I've never had them at the same time as chickens the ducks are female except I dont know the sexes of the ducklings.

Hello! Congrats on your ducks! I've kept scovies 30 years and they know their names and will out hatch ANY thing on our place.Average is 2 dozen eggs a clutch plus the 12-15 I foster under her. DEFINITELY get a male muscovy or 2!Fantastic flock guardians (you are going to have lots of scratches just loading/unloading your female babies and males can reach weights much greater than most Arial predators. I have,a 14 year old pair that just,hatched a clutch of 16 she hid.They are the only ones in my garden full time, so it's their clutch. I keep my ducks, and chickens together and the scovies seem to take their chicken sisters lives seriously. Muscovy easily learn their names and to come in at night so herd the other birds. I do now have 2 pair of vulturine guineas. They were VERY expensive keets. I even let them roam with the ducks and chooks. The guineas are alarms where the muscovies are my spartans! Seriously, just go slowly when letting them out. DO Not feed them before you let them out do they want grains/treats and more eager to come in.Dont let ALL of them out at once for about 2 weeks. We have always relied on our ducks for eggs even when it's cold. Ducks seem to not stress as easy, they don't cannibalise like chickens and lay even when it's hot or cold . Most people, when they have had a chance to experience muscovy, either love them (almost all#) despite their preconceived ideas you should have chickens for eggs, but pure personality, broodiness, how much better the meat is, that they absolutely destroy flying insects like swarming termites/almost nuts as well as skeeters , and the bug they wee named for , mosquitos. We have had fun with color genetics, and the huge eggs make wonderfull baking or pasta..but hands down most folks wonder why they never got these before now. Most raised bird in the world. Even more than leghorns. Your Pekings are similar to my alesbury. Any breed of duck other than scovies is domesticated from mallards and therefore too many males can be rough on the ladies! I've not had but brief spats between scovy males and the ladies don't look trama tied like other breeds of ducks with too many drakes per hens, and certainly not as bad as a very aggressive rooster. Muscovy and ducks can be allowed to glean bugs from your garden once the plants are big enough to not be stepped on. Chickens will "sample" everything and scratch the mulch everywhere! Also, with my old pair,Elton and Aretha, I haven't had snakes, spiders or gophers or..fire t mounds

 

[free range possum]

At 5 weeks, the scovies can eat whatever your adult ducks are. I would put a few frozen 16oz. Pop bottles in crate on one end that has a towel over them so they can get cooler if need. I live o Texas now and it's humid and very hot. I would move early morning (preferable so they can see/get used to new home before bed)or late evening. This is pretty important. Offer ALL the ducks about 10 minutes of water when you get them home, wait about 15 minutes and repeat again then wait 15 and leave normal water device out. Some young ducks stress and will over drink and hurt themselves since they have no idea why they got put in a box, exposed to noises and scary things and suddenly in a foreign scary world. I actually take cut up, slightly food processed canteloups, tomatoes and watermelon rinds in solo cups zip tied to inside crate for journey of even a few minutes and leave that with new family in their new home since they can hydrate safely and we use that as a treat do it lessons stress since it's familiar on a strange scary place. I leave new mom a zip lock bag for her to offer later after the ducks calm down so "new mom" is a treat giver they can easily sort out despite all the other scary things that may take a while. Make it sorta a salsa consistency and 30 in the fridge before trip in heat helps. Probably not necessary but they are MY BABIES babies, and I just want them to have a good first night and a long happy relationship with new mom.

 

[dovahkiin]

Hello! Congrats on your ducks! I've kept scovies 30 years and they know their names and will out hatch ANY thing on our place.Average is 2 dozen eggs a clutch plus the 12-15 I foster under her. DEFINITELY get a male muscovy or 2!Fantastic flock guardians (you are going to have lots of scratches just loading/unloading your female babies and males can reach weights much greater than most Arial predators. I have,a 14 year old pair that just,hatched a clutch of 16 she hid.They are the only ones in my garden full time, so it's their clutch. I keep my ducks, and chickens together and the scovies seem to take their chicken sisters lives seriously. Muscovy easily learn their names and to come in at night so herd the other birds. I do now have 2 pair of vulturine guineas. They were VERY expensive keets. I even let them roam with the ducks and chooks. The guineas are alarms where the muscovies are my spartans! Seriously, just go slowly when letting them out. DO Not feed them before you let them out do they want grains/treats and more eager to come in.Dont let ALL of them out at once for about 2 weeks. We have always relied on our ducks for eggs even when it's cold. Ducks seem to not stress as easy, they don't cannibalise like chickens and lay even when it's hot or cold . Most people, when they have had a chance to experience muscovy, either love them (almost all#) despite their preconceived ideas you should have chickens for eggs, but pure personality, broodiness, how much better the meat is, that they absolutely destroy flying insects like swarming termites/almost nuts as well as skeeters , and the bug they wee named for , mosquitos. We have had fun with color genetics, and the huge eggs make wonderfull baking or pasta..but hands down most folks wonder why they never got these before now. Most raised bird in the world. Even more than leghorns. Your Pekings are similar to my alesbury. Any breed of duck other than scovies is domesticated from mallards and therefore too many males can be rough on the ladies! I've not had but brief spats between scovy males and the ladies don't look trama tied like other breeds of ducks with too many drakes per hens, and certainly not as bad as a very aggressive rooster. Muscovy and ducks can be allowed to glean bugs from your garden once the plants are big enough to not be stepped on. Chickens will "sample" everything and scratch the mulch everywhere! Also, with my old pair,Elton and Aretha, I haven't had snakes, spiders or gophers or..fire t mounds

Thank you so much for the information! We will be careful loading and wont feed till we are home. Excited to have duck eggs again and to have so nice protection hoping one of the muscovy ducklings is a drake! It will be fun to find out!

 

[dovahkiin]

At 5 weeks, the scovies can eat whatever your adult ducks are. I would put a few frozen 16oz. Pop bottles in crate on one end that has a towel over them so they can get cooler if need. I live o Texas now and it's humid and very hot. I would move early morning (preferable so they can see/get used to new home before bed)or late evening. This is pretty important. Offer ALL the ducks about 10 minutes of water when you get them home, wait about 15 minutes and repeat again then wait 15 and leave normal water device out. Some young ducks stress and will over drink and hurt themselves since they have no idea why they got put in a box, exposed to noises and scary things and suddenly in a foreign scary world. I actually take cut up, slightly food processed canteloups, tomatoes and watermelon rinds in solo cups zip tied to inside crate for journey of even a few minutes and leave that with new family in their new home since they can hydrate safely and we use that as a treat do it lessons stress since it's familiar on a strange scary place. I leave new mom a zip lock bag for her to offer later after the ducks calm down so "new mom" is a treat giver they can easily sort out despite all the other scary things that may take a while. Make it sorta a salsa consistency and 30 in the fridge before trip in heat helps. Probably not necessary but they are MY BABIES babies, and I just want them to have a good first night and a long happy relationship with new mom.

I will try and make the trip as painless for them as possible and make sure to keep them hydrated and watch thier water intake. Hopefully they like and can easily get acquainted to thier new home!

 

[free range possum]

Thank you so much for the information! We will be careful loading and wont feed till we are home. Excited to have duck eggs again and to have so nice protection hoping one of the muscovy ducklings is a drake! It will be fun to find out!

Hey, look 7nder my other posts about gender identity of any bird species at very young age and then look at your known adults to see difference and so you can spot in very young birds. Reguardleas of breed or type. Early on, most males of birds will stretch out at a loud sound and females duck down like they will.later to guard eggs or brood. Practice and amaze your freinds!

 

[dovahkiin]

Hey, look 7nder my other posts about gender identity of any bird species at very young age and then look at your known adults to see difference and so you can spot in very young birds. Reguardleas of breed or type. Early on, most males of birds will stretch out at a loud sound and females duck down like they will.later to guard eggs or brood. Practice and amaze your freinds!

I'll definitely look up the your other posts in gender I dont have any adult muscovy to compare to unfortunately the adults are all pekins

 

[dovahkiin]

Hey so I am bringing home 3 full grown pekin ducks this week as well as some muscovy babies that are about 5 weeks old. I have a large crate to transport the perkins and was hoping to use a Cat carrier for the babies. I'm gonna try and fit the dog crate int he back of the truck and not the bed as to not traumatize them. They are only about a 25min drive away. We have a duck area that's rather large about 20 by 25feet for at night with a house and a little pool. I worry about hawks and owls but I would love for them to be able to free range we have a huge yard about a quarter acre that's fenced in by 6foot chain link that keeps away most predators except those that fly. I also have chickens in a different area they are not currently free ranging they have a run and are getting an aviary but I would love to have them all hang out during the day. Is this possible or even a good idea? Am I doing this right? I grew up with ducks but have never had muscovy or pekins and I've never had them at the same time as chickens the ducks are female except I dont know the sexes of the ducklings.

So turns out the ducklings are half muscovy the mom and half dark runner the dad. I ended up with two so far because I heard that muscovy hybrids are sterile and I mostly wanted eggs.but in researching when I got gone I read that if the muscovy is the mom they will still lay eggs at least with mallard fathers. I know one is a boy and ones a girl though just based on size. I'm really hoping the girl will still lay eggs. Will the boy still try and mate with the girls even though he is sterile?