Just adopted Muscovies..

[itsbob]

Wow.. thanks for the info, both of you.. looks like if I hatch the wrong eggs I'll be gettin hinnies, which sound like the won't be fertile eggs in the first place.

First few days all the ducks hung out together, now the Pekins and Muscovy have segregated themselves. I've seen the 4 female Muscovy dancing amongst each other.. almost like a mating dance without a male, just the four females in a x
Circle dancing.. the Pekin mating dance is strange.. they look like headbangers listening to heavy metal, heads bobbing in sync to a steady beat..

 

[gander007]

Wow.. thanks for the info, both of you.. looks like if I hatch the wrong eggs I'll be gettin hinnies, which sound like the won't be fertile eggs in the first place.

First few days all the ducks hung out together, now the Pekins and Muscovy have segregated themselves. I've seen the 4 female Muscovy dancing amongst each other.. almost like a mating dance without a male, just the four females in a x
Circle dancing.. the Pekin mating dance is strange.. they look like headbangers listening to heavy metal, heads bobbing in sync to a steady beat..

That is an exultant description of what thay do

gander007

 

[oldtimeway]

As has already been presented. It is a misnomer to call a Mucovie a duck. They are in their own class and are neither duck nor goose. They do not quack, they have a hook on the end of their beak, they have deadly claws on their feet and as you've discovered, they roost. They will fly up and roost on roofs, in trees, etc.. They love to fly into your fruit trees and destroy your fruit.

They claim they are good fly control but their droppings which attract flies exceed any benefits one gets from having them for fly control.

Where other ducks are rather docile, muscovy ducks get downright hostile. They are excellent mothers and will clean the clock of any cat or dog that come close. They are hard to catch when it is time to butcher as they will, males especially, try to claw you to bits.

Their feathers are coarser than real ducks and so are of poorer quality than real duck feathers. When butchering them, they have a foul or musky smell that I find much more repulsive to the smell of regular wet duck feathers. They are more wild than domestic ducks and are good foragers. Their roosting gets them up off the ground away from foxes and the like, except when they're setting a nest. We always had a joke that they were such good incubators they could set on a dozen eggs and hatch out fifteen ducks. Of course that is not true.

The muscovies anatomy is diffn't and so they draw differently for other ducks and I do not find their meat as appealing. My wife says you might as well butcher a Dodo bird. (Can you tell we don't like them?)

They will not use your chicken nests. They prefer to steal off to a secluded spot and make a nest. If you show up, they'll abandon plans and move elsewhere. We've raised thousands of ducks but few muscovies. Just let them destroy an apple crop for you and you'll be happy to raise nice ducks that stay on the ground.

Too, muscovy ducks have a much higher chance of carrying cholera than even a regular duck has. Of course like all ducks, they'll be immune but will be infectors of other birds, especially turkeys and even hogs.

Edited by staff

 

[Miss Lydia]

As has already been presented. It is a misnomer to call a Mucovie a duck. They are in their own class and are neither duck nor goose. They do not quack, they have a hook on the end of their beak, they have deadly claws on their feet and as you've discovered, they roost. They will fly up and roost on roofs, in trees, etc.. They love to fly into your fruit trees and destroy your fruit.

They claim they are good fly control but their droppings which attract flies exceed any benefits one gets from having them for fly control.

Where other ducks are rather docile, muscovy ducks get downright hostile. They are excellent mothers and will clean the clock of any cat or dog that come close. They are hard to catch when it is time to butcher as they will, males especially, try to claw you to bits.

Their feathers are coarser than real ducks and so are of poorer quality than real duck feathers. When butchering them, they have a foul or musky smell that I find much more repulsive to the smell of regular wet duck feathers. They are more wild than domestic ducks and are good foragers. Their roosting gets them up off the ground away from foxes and the like, except when they're setting a nest. We always had a joke that they were such good incubators they could set on a dozen eggs and hatch out fifteen ducks. Of course that is not true.

The muscovies anatomy is diffn't and so they draw differently for other ducks and I do not find their meat as appealing. My wife says you might as well butcher a Dodo bird. (Can you tell we don't like them?)

They will not use your chicken nests. They prefer to steal off to a secluded spot and make a nest. If you show up, they'll abandon plans and move elsewhere. We've raised thousands of ducks but few muscovies. Just let them destroy an apple crop for you and you'll be happy to raise nice ducks that stay on the ground.

Too, muscovy ducks have a much higher chance of carrying cholera than even a regular duck has. Of course like all ducks, they'll be immune but will be infectors of other birds, especially turkeys and even hogs.

Well it's pretty obvious you hate Muscovy's and of course that's your choice, those of us who choose to have them in our lives really like them.

 

[Suzie]

X 2 Miss Lydia..well said!

My muscovy ducks are friendly and are never aggressive...the females will also lay eggs in the chicken coop in the nesting boxes.

Treat them with respect and you have wonderful, friendly and loving ducks !

Edited by staff

 

[veronicasmom]

I love my muscovies, duck or not. They are funny, personable, friendly and just wonderful to own. To each it's own.

Edited by staff

 

[Going Quackers]

Well it's pretty obvious you hate Muscovy's and of course that's your choice, those of us who choose to have them in our lives really like them.

X 2 Miss Lydia..well said!

My muscovy ducks are friendly and are never aggressive...the females will also lay eggs in the chicken coop in the nesting boxes.

Treat them with respect and you have wonderful, friendly and loving ducks !

A university did a study on the merits of Muscovy and fly control, so it's a well documented fact. I started with Muscovy and will continue with them, as with any duck(goose) etc they have positive and negatives, it's all what you make of it and your attitude coming into it.

Edited by staff

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

I don't think I could ever have a love for ducks like I have for the muscovies. As far as the taste, well anyone with any can tell you the muscovy has some of the best meat around.

Edited by staff

 

[eggsellentfarms]

@oldtimeway I did have some muscovies girdle a couple fruit trees that were in their area. I think it may have been curiosity or boredom. They just picked at the bark all around the trunk. By the time I noticed one tree was a total loss, several were damaged, and one was completely girdled high enough that it was able to send up a new shoot. I made some protective rings out of hardware cloth that prevented any further damage.

I have to disagree on the meat though. We love it. I make some awesome fajitas and jerky from Muscovy meat.

They do have some different behaviors than other ducks, but after having them for many years, I've really come to like them

 

[Miss Lydia]

My fruit tress I have placed fencing around because I have geese that will nibble on the trunks, but I have never seen one of my Scovy's nibbling on the trees before I put the fencing around them. I have put out soft grass hay for my flock though and they love to nibble on it.

Edited by staff