Muscovie question

[ruthhope]

They all seam to be about the same in size. If anything the white one is the smallest

@Greta A Those are all girls!! Very nice too.

Do they chirp away quietly to eachother? The voices are another way to be certain you have females. Girls have distinct chirping or trilling voices. The boys huff and puff.

 

[Greta A]

I have another question. I did no think the ducks were laying but yesterday I gathered 11 eggs from 10 chickens. I noticed earlier in the day that 2 of the ducks were in the chicken tractor for a while. There were 2 eggs in the nesting boxes. They looked the correct color but were smaller than the eggs I have bought so I did not think they were duck eggs lol.

So my question is. Will the eggs get bigger with time?

 

[gooseapplefarms]

Every once in a while, I see a smaller egg than the others from my Muscovies. I don't know if it's just one bird, or they all take turns laying a small egg. I can say, the Muscovies don't seem to lay eggs much larger than chicken eggs, they're about the size of extra large chicken eggs IMO. The yolks are noticeably bigger though.

 

[Yardmom]

When birds start laying their eggs are often smaller than when they are more mature.

 

[Greta A]

Thanks!!!

 

[Plague]

When you do, you will have your heart melt. The females makes this most beautiful trilling sound! That's what got me hooked on them.

At what age do Muscovy typically start that sound? Is it normal for them all to make a trilling sound even when one week old, or would only the females do it even that young?

 

[Canadian Wind]

At what age do Muscovy typically start that sound? Is it normal for them all to make a trilling sound even when one week old, or would only the females do it even that young?

I don't think I've ever heard of one that young trilling. Usually it's just the regular peeping. I'm honestly not sure when they'll start, some of mine don't at all, at least around me.

 

[Yardmom]

At what age do Muscovy typically start that sound? Is it normal for them all to make a trilling sound even when one week old, or would only the females do it even that young?

Young male and female Muscovies make the same noises. The peeping does turn to trilling for both male and female. Sorry I'm not sure what age the trilling stops for males, but I have heard trills from young males still after they were fully feathered.

 

[bhaugh]

You haven’t had them very long so the sounds others are talking about may not be privy to you yet as they get to know you. But you may be able to hear them talk to each other. They look like girls to me. Sit near them if they are penned and hang out so they know who you are. And watch they don’t fly off because you are new to them.

 

[Plague]

I definitely can tell the Muscovy do not grow nearly as fast as mallard derived breeds at this point. But the Muscovy seem to be a lot more friendly than the mallards just with the little experience I have now. All the Muscovy run to us, and fairly calm when you pick them up and will sit on you, which the mallards ones just seem a lot more skittish, even with just as much if not more handling even. We are really enjoying them and our little goslings. The sexing them part is definitely the hardest part of the Muscovy it seems. I can tell you 3 of the females of the mallard derived, however the Muscovy just seems about impossible at this time for us even at 5 weeks old. I do suspect 2-3 are female, but all the markers I have seen to help identify, just is a bit confusing. Seems we are talking subtle differences, that maybe with more experience with breed would be more pronounced to us and not so difficult. The only reason really we care is for naming purposes at this time. I can say there is like 2 definitely looks a bit smaller than the rest, yet the other day it appeared 3 looked more like a v on tail and 3 more of a U. Problem is supposedly the males have a flatter bill? Well I can not really notice much of a difference in them. They are all starting to get growth near their face and bill, but from reading the male is supposed to start getting it around the eye first, yet none yet seem to be. Bottom line is there any more definitive ways that are easier to look at to really sex these sweet ones, without vent sexing and flat out just waiting, which I know later I should know?