Khaki and Muscovies

[llombardo]

do these two breeds do well together?

I have found a couple females that need a home. I love Pekings, but I'm not sure I could get one right now after the loss of Sunny. I think it would be to hard and just remind me of her.

What are some characteristics of Muscovies? Do they do ok in cold and extreme weather? Do they lay eggs daily?

From what I was reading they don't quack? How do you tell a male from a female? Do they swim or prefer not to?

My plan b....
I was also thinking about getting an incubator and trying to hatch 4 eggs, one of which is a 50% chance of being Sunnys, but I don't even know if they are fertile. Ricky was very new to the mating thing this year and was more awkward then anything.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Muscovy are very winter hardy. They don't quack. The males are much larger than the females. The females can fly a bit, long glides when necessary. They like walking around foraging, and don't need as much water for swimming. They take baths, than move on.

I don't know if they will get along with other duck species. If a muscovy mates with mallard based breeds the offspring is sterile and called mules.

Muscovy lay eggs to reproduce. So they lay a clutch worth than go broody. They can produce and raise very large broods. Mine are seasonal layers.

Muscovy roost like chickens so you will need to provide them some.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Muscovies do very well in cold weather. They're hardy animals. However, they tend to not get along well with other ducks. Or other fowl. My girls have formed a sorority, and woe betide those who cross them. My father has told me that the muscovies he had as a kid did the same.

I did raise some muscovy ducklings with my main duck flock once, and they got along well with the other ducks, until they matured and formed a sub-flock.

They're very calm, very bold ducks. They're much less flock-oriented than Mallard breeds, much quieter, and I would describe them as vindictive. I like them, but they're not for everyone. (My father hates them.)

Different strains of Muscovies were bred focusing on different characteristics. Most strains, if not all, are very broody. Some of those strains, though broody, are terrible mothers and setters. If you want eggs, I suggest you find a breeder who raises them with a focus on egg-laying.

My muscovies do not roost. I expected them to do so, and provided perches, but they're perfectly happy sleeping on the floor.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Aren’t Muscovy so unusual that’s why I love them so much . In 2004 I started with Muscovy that is all I had till 2016 because I just knew any other drake I tried to introduce would be killed by my Muscovy drakes, I really wanted some Runners for many years but them being so slim and light weight never followed through on getting any until a friend offered me eggs from her Runners and Buffs And Muscovy being so broody my girls hatched them for me. It’s been amazing to watch this come about my Muscovy drake has no interest in the Runner Buff females and my Runner drake and Muscovy drake never pay any mind to each other. One of the mama Muscovy even likes to hang out with the Runners the rest stay to themselves but now that winter is approaching the Runners on their own have moved back into the big coop with the scovys and chickens. Muscovy are very cool if you have opportunity to get a few females I sure would go for it. They aren’t the greatest layers because brooding is their main goal but if you take up eggs daily you won’t get over run with ducklings if you have a drake.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Aren’t Muscovy so unusual that’s why I love them so much . In 2004 I started with Muscovy that is all I had till 2026 because I just knew any other drake I tried to introduce would be killed by my Muscovy drakes, I really wanted some Runners for many years but then being so slim and light weight never followed through on getting any until a friend offered me eggs from her Runners and Buffs Nd Muscovy being so broody my girls hatched them for me. It’s been amazing to watch this come about my Muscovy drake has no interest in the Runner Buff females and my Runner drake and Muscovy drake never pay any mind to each other. One of the mama Muscovy even likes to hang out with the Runners the rest stay to themselves but now that winter is approaching the Runners on their own have moved back into the big coop with the scovys and chickens. Muscovy are very cool if you have opportunity to get a few females I sure would go for it. They aren’t the greatest layers because brooding is their main goal but if you take up eggs daily you won’t get over run with ducklings if you have a drake.

I think you mean 2016 not 2026, unless these are future ducks.
I saw some buff runners at the fair and they are so much cuter than I imagined, do you think letting the muscovy hatch would be better than just introducing a few grown ducks?

 

[Miss Lydia]

It was here my Muscovy have accepted them as just another bird lol. Thanks for pointing out my typing errors never will get use to this phone. 2026 wow. Just around the corner. Lol.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I am planning on expanding my run and the ducks get as much free time as I can allow them. I think with muscovies, space is key.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

My two Muscovy (almost 5 months old, one definite female, one still questionable in my mind) get along very well with my Rouen. I am considering getting Daphne (my Rouen) another Mallard derived friend only because the ‘Scovies occasionally get cliquey and either leave Daphne to go do “Muscovy things” or they ignore Daphne when she clearly wants them to follow her on an adventure. Usually, however, they are a happy flock of 3. The Muscovies do roost on the top of the horse stall door (they live in the barn in a horse stall at night) in the evening and early AM, but will cuddle up in the straw when they are chilly late at night.

They don’t quack, but do “trill” constantly, especially my definite female. They are quite adventurous, but very suspicious of new things. They love to perch on the end of the pool after taking a bath rather than hanging out in the pool for long periods like Daphne.

My two do fly and have done so for a couple of months, and I still haven’t trimmed their wings. It has not been a problem as they show no interest in leaving home (or leaving Daphne, who can’t fly). I will obviously trim them if needed.

I can’t speak to their egg-laying abilities as they’re not there yet!

I will say that Daphne is friendlier/tamer than my Muscovies, but that might be more due to their early duckling-hood. I don’t know!

Anyways, long story short, you should not have issues adopting the two Muscovies as long as you introduce them slowly. Just make sure that you know for sure that they are females. There are ways to sex them, and many are clearly males or females, but I have found that some stay in a “grey zone” for quite a while during development leaving one questioning their sex for way too long!

 

[Muscovy-palooza]

My two Muscovy (almost 5 months old, one definite female, one still questionable in my mind) get along very well with my Rouen. I am considering getting Daphne (my Rouen) another Mallard derived friend only because the ‘Scovies occasionally get cliquey and either leave Daphne to go do “Muscovy things” or they ignore Daphne when she clearly wants them to follow her on an adventure. Usually, however, they are a happy flock of 3. The Muscovies do roost on the top of the horse stall door (they live in the barn in a horse stall at night) in the evening and early AM, but will cuddle up in the straw when they are chilly late at night.

They don’t quack, but do “trill” constantly, especially my definite female. They are quite adventurous, but very suspicious of new things. They love to perch on the end of the pool after taking a bath rather than hanging out in the pool for long periods like Daphne.

My two do fly and have done so for a couple of months, and I still haven’t trimmed their wings. It has not been a problem as they show no interest in leaving home (or leaving Daphne, who can’t fly). I will obviously trim them if needed.

I can’t speak to their egg-laying abilities as they’re not there yet!

I will say that Daphne is friendlier/tamer than my Muscovies, but that might be more due to their early duckling-hood. I don’t know!

Anyways, long story short, you should not have issues adopting the two Muscovies as long as you introduce them slowly. Just make sure that you know for sure that they are females. There are ways to sex them, and many are clearly males or females, but I have found that some stay in a “grey zone” for quite a while during development leaving one questioning their sex for way too long!

I agree with you on the "Grey Zone"! We have had two clutches hatch this summer. The 20 wk olds are now big and clearly boys. We lost half of that batch leaving only boys Which gave us nothing to compare too! I tried really hard to vent sex the 2 batch with no success. They are now 10 week olds have finally gotten some size on them and there are clearly some smaller that the others. The caruncles take a while to develop so that hasn't been much help.