Integrating Muscovy with Mallard duck breeds.

[cavyman]

Has anyone had any experience with housing Muscovy ducks with any Mallard duck breeds. I currently have a variety of ducks and I am considering adding a couple of Muscovy females to the flock. I have read a lot about the Muscovy, but everyone seems to just have a flock of only Muscovy or houses them with chickens. Since the Muscovy have sharper claws, I am worried they could hurt the other ducks in the coop at night. The smallest breed I have is the welsh harlequin. Anyone have any experience with this?

Also,I know the Muscovy are very broody and great mothers, but I really don't want ducklings. I just want them as pets. Do they have a problem with you taking their eggs more so than the Mallard breeds?

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

i’m wondering this too, hoping to add a muscovy girl as a mate for my pekin drake!

 

[Kaiori]

In my experience, my muscovies have never hung around my mallard-derived ducks. The muscovies stick to themselves and the mallard breeds stay to themselves. They don't interact much but they do get along. As long as there are plenty females of his breed, a drake scovie will hardly be interested in mounting a non-scovie, ime. Although, I have seen it happen once with mine.. not that she didn't enjoy it (they didn't have a non-scovie drake at the time and were always trying to get my drakes' attention).

I've never housed my ducks in a "coop" though (just a large-ish enclosure), so I can't say for sure how they'd get on in closer quarters overnight, but I would think there shouldn't be much issue or depends on the personality of the individual duck.

Collecting eggs from them is eventless. My scovies lay eggs in their nests and go about their way. If anyone tries to stay sitting, I can collect them from under her with hardly any fuss. Just a bit of vocalizing. And that's with my untame ones. My tamer ones are little sweethearts.

 

[cavyman]

In my experience, my muscovies have never hung around my mallard-derived ducks. The muscovies stick to themselves and the mallard breeds stay to themselves. They don't interact much but they do get along. As long as there are plenty females of his breed, a drake scovie will hardly be interested in mounting a non-scovie, ime. Although, I have seen it happen once with mine.. not that she didn't enjoy it (they didn't have a non-scovie drake at the time and were always trying to get my drakes' attention).

I've never housed my ducks in a "coop" though (just a large-ish enclosure), so I can't say for sure how they'd get on in closer quarters overnight, but I would think there shouldn't be much issue or depends on the personality of the individual duck.

Collecting eggs from them is eventless. My scovies lay eggs in their nests and go about their way. If anyone tries to stay sitting, I can collect them from under her with hardly any fuss. Just a bit of vocalizing. And that's with my untame ones. My tamer ones are little sweethearts.

Thanks so much Kaiori! That is very helpful information.

 

[Isaac 0]

@Miss Lydia , may have some more advice.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Runners and Muscovy are fine together my Muscovy drake doesn’t even mind the Runner drakes, but during mating season I keep my Runners in one room with a gate between them and the scovys because even though my Muscovy won’t mate the Runners my Runner is always after the Scovy females. During non crazyiness they all sleep together. And easy to take their eggs unless broody then a pinch may happen. Never bothered me much.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

I have 1 Rouen hen and 2 Muscovy hens. I got the Muscovy hens when they were maybe 6 weeks old. My Rouen was 2 years old at the time. The integration was a little rough at first, but my husband threw them all together when I wasn’t home. The ducklings chased Daphne, my Rouen, around mercilessly until I got home and separated them. Once we integrated them properly, they became best friends. Occasionally, they have hormone-driven tiffs, but they are otherwise inseparable. The Muscovy hens are a thousand times more broody than Daphne, whose idea of being broody is lovingly covering her eggs before abandoning them for the day. I still have no problems taking the eggs from the Muscovy girls. They just vocalize a bit, then move their nest the next day. Anyways, it may not work for everyone, but it’s been over two years and we have a happy little family here!

 

[cavyman]

Thank you @Miss Lydia and @Daphne_loves_mealworms ! I really appreciate all the input. I'm feeling much more comfortable with adding some Muscovy to our family now.