Looking for muscovy breeders near venus texas!

[ShadowsFIAL]

I am wanting to get two or three muscovy ducks to put in with my chicken flock. I plan to get my chicks around april 8th and would like to get the ducklings around the same time. Anyone breeding at this time of year? If so what color varieties do you have? I am looking for chocolate and blue mostly, but I wouldn't mind getting a white or black as well.

 

[birdbaby4241]

Hello, The ducks will make your chicken pen too wet and muddy for the chickens. Also, the ducks can not live healthy lives on chicken scratch. They need a specific diet for waterfowl. To be fair, you need to keep these birds in separate quarters.

 

[ShadowsFIAL]

the ducks and chickens are going to be in a 80 by 20 foot pen together, do you still think that will cause problems?

 

[birdbaby4241]

Absolutely SPLIT this pen. 1) Diet. Your ducks must have a diet designed for waterfowl. They can not eat with chickens. The best diet for them floats in water and is called " Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance." This is special ordered at feed stores that sell Purina products. Your chickens have DIFFERENT diet requirements. Yes, your ducks would LOVE to eat chicken scratch all day like candy, but they can not be healthy birds if you expose them to chicken food. Your chickens can not stick their heads in water and eat duck food. 2) Environment. Your ducks will make mud and the pen will be to wet for chickens. 3) Immunity. Ducks and chickens have immunities to different illnesses. They can make each other sick. 4) You have not told me that your birds will "free range" for part of the day. "Free range" birds is where the confusion comes from. This would be the only time when ducks and chickens can be "kept together" or out on the same property because they can distance themselves, providing the food you give them is kept in their separate night quarters.

Remember these things: Ducks need shade and protection from wind. "Their" side of a pen will require that it's built for drainage. Ducks will demolish all the grass quickly and you will need to bring in greens daily for them to eat along with their waterfowl pellets. The Muscovy can not take the cold, they are tropical birds. You will need a insulated shelter for them when the cold hits. Your Muscovy ducks will want perches. I use 2X6 boards at heights of 2 and 4 feet above the ground. They need to bathe. You can fill baby pools for them, and ADDITIONALLY provide a bucket of water that they can dip their heads in, available at all times. Good luck