Muscovies in US - REGULATION CHANGES OPEN FOR COMMENTS - 10/1 update

[Mom 2em All]

I was very excited- i found 1-800-exotic meats online, and they list muscovy eggs for sale. i called them and asked for hatching, and he didnt have any available until May- unless I wanted to eat them. I told him about the law- he had no idea.
I have been searching all day for eggs or ducklings, and have no luck.

 

[Slinkytoys]

McMurray and Cackle that I've noticed so far.....
Slinky

 

[The Wolf Queen]

Guys I asked my vet about this and he explained that he went to a seminar or something and fish and wildlife were there and stated that domestic muscovys are still OK to keep for breeding and pets.

ETA: The law is for ferals and the wild variety.

 

[Ducks-R-Us]

Quote:
I don't think Mcmurray's had Muscovies, they never had them last year.

 

[cherndon712]

JM does not have them on their site anymore. They're requesting to be called and listing the only ship date as March 16. I called Ridgeway yesterday and they are booked until July, were unaware of the new regulation. And Meyer is requesting phone calls and not allowing preorders on them. McMurray has sold hatching eggs in the past, and I haven't checked recently.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

"George stated that backyard/private ownership of muscovies for meat and/or eggs is reasonable to add to the regulation, but not pet ownership. I assume this would also allow for breeding of muscovies wherever local laws allow it."

If they will change the regulation to allow backyard flocks it will be a major modification from how this regulation is currently written.
This is where we all need to be writing to them about our concerns so they get it right!

I think they need to realize how many people have or are interested in maintaining this type of duck, so the more people who contact them the better.
They need to fully understand the unique characteristics that make this breed important for the backyard flock. I think it could be useful to point out the growing urban farming movement and the benefit of muscovys quiet nature. Also their value in incubating other breeds of waterfowl. They are the best meat duck by far, why should smallholders be denied raising them for their own food.
But if they are ruling out owning them as pets, rather than calling them cute or adorable, maybe it would be better to use phrases like "easy to manage".
Those are a few points that can be made to the FWS along with many more I'm sure we can all come up with.

I would really like to avoid creating a situation where they require any sort of registration though, that just leads into another whole can of worms.​

 

[swheat]

Quote:
I don't think Mcmurray's had Muscovies, they never had them last year.

I didn't see Muscovies in Cackle's last years catalog either.

 

[muscovychef]

I keep hearing what people think. its how its worded. .....................read below this is what they intend . It does not say wild muscovy or feral. It says very plainly to disalow private muscovy ownership. only meat production. Except for the ones grandfatherd in . And those are for food... read below, people are reading things into it that are not there.
> We intend to
>disallow private possession of muscovy
>ducks, except to raise them to be sold
>as food (which has been ongoing for
>years). However, we will allow
>possession of any live muscovy duck
>held on the date when this rule takes
>effect.
>In most every location, the muscovy
>duck is an introduced, invasive species.
>We will allow control of muscovy ducks
>as best suits the needs of the States and
>wildlife management agencies, who
>requested this authorization. Though
>the control order allows States and other
>entities to remove muscovy ducks, we
>do not expect that they will do so when
>the ducks are on private property.
>However, people who propagate
>muscovy ducks or allow them to
>multiply and move off their property
>should realize that the muscovy ducks
>may be subject to the control efforts that
>the State or local wildlife agency deems
>necessary.
>

 

[cherndon712]

That's how I interpreted it as well, chef. I read it as we, as backyard flock owners/breeders/exhibitionists etc will have our rights trampled on and very few would be allowed to obtain a permit to breed/sell for meat etc.

 

[muscovychef]

Thank you, I keep getting feed back that has nothing to do with this. Feelings Or thinking what it means does nothing. Its what it says in black and white. This is what they will refer to if they come with this to take your muscovy . It does not exempt any type . It says muscovy PLainly. And it says all private ownership. That means only meat raisers . Commercial .