Magnificent Marvelous Muscovies!

[Claires Poultry]

Some Muscovy questions... do those of you who free range always lock them up 100% at night? Mine are being brats about it as of late and last night I had to go grab some in the dark to throw into their shelter.

I have 12 Muscovy that free range during the day on our 30+ acres but in reality they stay in the closest 5 acres.

I bought discounted straight run ducklings and I got 10 drakes to 2 hens. They’re just now reaching breeding age and chaos is ensuing for the group dynamics but no injuries yet, just lots of hissing and butt grabbing. They have lots of space and 2 kiddie pools so I’m sure that helps diffuse tensions and territorial disputes.

In 2 days I have plans to get 8-12 more hens and send off about 6-7 boys to the freezer camp/sell off buuuut is there anything I can do to help keep the peace until the new hens’ quarantine period is up? Also can’t get the boys into the butcher ASAP.... but a few of the ones being super aggressive have been catalogued as dinner.

Also, hello fellow ‘scovy crew!

Hello there fellow 'scovy owner! My Muscovies free range most of the time and sometimes in the summertime I do let them stay out over night because that's what they would rather do. But I do also have a very protective guard dog that keeps all the predators away.

If you have a different place you could put them in, it might be good to separate the hens.
Happy Muscovy-ing!

 

[Claires Poultry]

I love their 50’s coiffed crests!

Yeah, I know what your talking about! I like them, too!

 

[Claires Poultry]

Here are some pics I took today. They aren't the greatest because I used the Kindle to take them, but these are all of my Muscovies together.

 

[Claires Poultry]

As you can see, Blue and Chocolate Muscovies are my favorite!

 

[PolarBerry]

I hope to add in some blue and chocolate!

I may do a bad quarantine and just put my 2 females in the other shed with the new gals and let the boys have a bachelor pad/frat house until their time... I haven’t had bad ducks healthwise since the swap I’m getting them at does health inspections and has only certain sellers... but will keep them safely away from the other birds I have to at least practice some semblance of quarantine.... at least my two gals can fly high enough to avoid the numerous boys’ advances.

 

[Claires Poultry]

I hope to add in some blue and chocolate!

I may do a bad quarantine and just put my 2 females in the other shed with the new gals and let the boys have a bachelor pad/frat house until their time... I haven’t had bad ducks healthwise since the swap I’m getting them at does health inspections and has only certain sellers... but will keep them safely away from the other birds I have to at least practice some semblance of quarantine.... at least my two gals can fly high enough to avoid the numerous boys’ advances.

That's cool! Yeah, you could quarantine them like that. In my experience Muscovies are pretty hardy birds and the only problem I've ever really had with them, was when one of the hens was egg bound.

 

[PolarBerry]

I have 1 drake and 1 hen refusing to go back in tonight. The hen is black so she might stand a chance but the drake is half white so guess he likes playing the lottery... he’s the same one I’ve had to grab at night the last 2 nights and it’s getting really old lol.

Unfortunately live in an area with lots of coyote and owls and bobcats sooooo we shall see. Although a few of my drakes chased off a bobcat and also a hawk this winter. Having a hissing flapping warty duck-goose come at you would scare me too.

My chickens don’t want to go in either, it’s just that time of year with enough light and forage for them to not care about me.

I’ll try some mealworms for bribery once I restock.

 

[Claires Poultry]

I have 1 drake and 1 hen refusing to go back in tonight. The hen is black so she might stand a chance but the drake is half white so guess he likes playing the lottery... he’s the same one I’ve had to grab at night the last 2 nights and it’s getting really old lol.

Unfortunately live in an area with lots of coyote and owls and bobcats sooooo we shall see. Although a few of my drakes chased off a bobcat and also a hawk this winter. Having a hissing flapping warty duck-goose come at you would scare me too.

My chickens don’t want to go in either, it’s just that time of year with enough light and forage for them to not care about me.

I’ll try some mealworms for bribery once I restock.

I'm sorry to hear that you have to put them in every night. I pray that nothing eats them! If they do get eaten, it'll be their own fault.

 

[HelplessHomeSteader]

I tried to pen mine up and they just refuse at night. I'm pretty lucky I have two awesome blue tick hounds and sense they joined our farm I haven't had any predator problems. One of our ladies likes to roost with the chickens and one of the chickens loves to roost on the outside coop door. She has a habit of closing everyone else in the pen in morning right before feeding time.....swear she knows what she's doing. Always first to be feed.

 

[PolarBerry]

So I got 4 new females. One buff-white in the back, the white with black spots on head, and the 2 grey ones. I threw my existing 2 ladies in (black one and all white one). They’re locked up safe in a shed and I’ve even gotten eggs, lol!

I’m getting some lavender and blue and solid black/chocolate ducklings in about a month. Straight run ducklings but will pick the ones I like best and extra boys will get sold or to the butcher.