I got a pair of Muscovy ducklings~

[FowlWitch]

The lady told me the duckling in back is a male and the one in front is a female. I'm still trying to decide on names, but aren't they just precious? <3

Edit: idk how the pic of my chicken got attached, sorry. Don't mind Miss Ginger lol

 

[FowlWitch]

I wanted to know - do muscovy ducklings normally have coarse feathers at this age? Their down doesn't feel fluffy soft like my chicks' baby feathers. If not, is it possible they're just grimy?

 

[Raenh]

They might be a little grimy, if you got them from a farm or ranch... or just someone with a million ducks. Like I did when I got my twins last year, they were so dirty it took them 2 hours in the bathtub once I managed to corner fancy so he'd leave them alone. They were his present, but I wanted them clean first before going through the rest of the house!

Did the lady sex them that told you what they were?

 

[FowlWitch]

They might be a little grimy, if you got them from a farm or ranch... or just someone with a million ducks. Like I did when I got my twins last year, they were so dirty it took them 2 hours in the bathtub once I managed to corner fancy so he'd leave them alone. They were his present, but I wanted them clean first before going through the rest of the house!

Did the lady sex them that told you what they were?

Yeah, she had them sexed. The female is pinioned.... wish I knew that it was full on bone removal before she talked me into getting a pinioned female over non-pinioned I would rather trim the feathers, tbh. I also realize I should have purchased a second female... maybe next spring I'll try to find a hen.

 

[Raenh]

Ok, just keep in mind that some ppl say they know how to sex ducklings, muscovy and tell you that you have a boy - then 8 months later hes popping out eggs.

That's what happened with my sodapop... I wanted a boy, looked on craigslist, went to pick on out, guy sexed her right in front of me, then in December, she started popping out eggs... at first I thought she was just trying to be protective and not let me take the eggs.. but I uh intercepted one that she was in the process of laying. lol she squawked at me and I apologized and left her to her business.

 

[Raenh]

Why did they pinion her?!? Shes a baby!

 

[FowlWitch]

Why did they pinion her?!? Shes a baby!

It keeps getting worse! You don't pinion babies??? I feel awful

 

[Raenh]

I honestly dont know when you're supposed to pinion, but to me that's a lot for a baby that just made it out of a super hard shelled egg to go through.

Course I didnt want to clip speedys wings either but that was before I knew that they molt and grow the feathers back. Now, I clip all of them, even speedy the oh lets go visit the neighbors when I land in their yard. She always comes running to me when I start calling her and burying her head in my hair because she got scared at the wrong house and I was scared cause I couldn't find Her.

 

[FowlWitch]

I honestly dont know when you're supposed to pinion, but to me that's a lot for a baby that just made it out of a super hard shelled egg to go through.

Course I didnt want to clip speedys wings either but that was before I knew that they molt and grow the feathers back. Now, I clip all of them, even speedy the oh lets go visit the neighbors when I land in their yard. She always comes running to me when I start calling her and burying her head in my hair because she got scared at the wrong house and I was scared cause I couldn't find Her.

Aww she sounds sweet! Do you have pics?

 

[AquaDuck]

Aww, they're beautiful!
They do look a little grimy. Give them some tepid water to swim in for 10 mins, and they'll be nice and soft once they dry up again.
I've had pairs of one male and one female, and they did great together. Sometimes they bond in pairs even when there's other ducks around them too.