Muscovies and runner ducks

[AHappychick]

Can these two breeds live in harmony with each other? How often do Muscovies lay? Will they mate with each other? I would like my next batch of ducks to be more dual purpose since finding a home for my extra runner drakes was hard (but I did sell them to a good home for $10 each, I dont think I will be that lucky again lol)

I am thinking I could hatch some and then process the extra drakes for meat and keep the hens for laying. I would probably keep one drake for breeding as well.

Right now I have 3 hens and one runner duck drake, but I would really like to have 6-8 hens in total. But I only want to do this if they can all live in the same area/ coop and run.

 

[farmertank]

I'm a little confused. Are you saying you have 3 runner hens and one runner drake? Or 3 muscovie hens and 1 runner drake ? lol sorry.


Runners and muscovies will get along fine as long as they have a lot of space. I would make sure that each type has one drake and it's own kinds of hens. Also the male muscovie might be pushy towards the male runner, but with lots of space they won't hurt each other.

Muscovies start laying usually in March and if their eggs keep being taken they will continue to lay till about October. If you let one go boody she may not lay again that year or she may start laying , but it won't be as many. I have found that the younger muscovies will lay one a day, but older ones lay one every other day.

There is a chance they will interbreed(usually muscovie female- other breed drake. If you hatch these they are "mule ducks"(sterile). This is rare as long as their is plenty of females of their own breed. If you don't have a drake of their own breed they will interbreed.


I have several kinds of ducks and they all live together, I have had only one "mule" and he was given to me. My ducks have lots of room and they tend to stay in groups of their own breed. They get along good and all sleep in the same coop.

I hope this helps you

Julie

 

[AhBee01]

I have had muscovys and other ducks live together and have had mule ducks. Mule ducks make good meat birds. My Muscovys are starting to lay now. Mine hatched 2 clutches last year, one consisted of 23 eggs, 22 hatched. They are great broody birds, and do a great job hatching and brooding their young.
We hatch the ducklings for meat. This year we have 2 males and 4 females, the males do fight, so far not to bad, but I think it will get worse near spring time. We want to get a few unrelated
ducks to open our breeding stock. The only reason for having the other male.
Our older male and 2 older hens have been here going on 3 years, so we know we need new breeders soon. Our 3 originals will live out their lives here till they die, cuz they came to be here in a special way. So we just want to be prepared for when they stop laying, and breeding!
Oh and even though I had taken away their eggs, some broody muscovys will try to set on anything that remotely resembles an egg no mater how many times you break up a nest!

You will enjoy the meat, we only breast out our birds, as there isn't much meat on the legs and back. We grill our breast meat like steak, and it has the texture of beef to me and my family.
I have just tried the meat as stew meat and it was fabulous. We will try to ground some and make hamburger.
I have seen the breasts sell for 32 dollars a pound on the internet!
The Muscovy meat is leaner than turkey.
It is not greasy like Mallard.

 

[AHappychick]

oh good. Sounds I think I will get some....

at the moment I have 3 Runner duck hens and one Runner Drake I would like to have a few more runner hens and maybe 4 Muscovie hens and one muscovie drake for breeding. I know the minimum is usaully 1 drake per 2 hens so if I had 5 runner hens and one runner drake, and 4 muscovie hens and one muscovie drake would that be an ok ratio?

 

[farmertank]

that ratio will be fine.

 

[AhBee01]

I think 4 to 1 is better than 2to1, the hens are less over mated!
Brenda