HI, I was wondering well i heard about that muscovy and I looked em up and I really like em. I think i might get a trio of em. I Anyway i heard that there a bit wilder than the normal duck is this true?
Wilder? in what way lol.. Ok, I admit i cannot compare to other ducks since i only own and have ever owned Muscovy but i am not under the impression they are "wilder" quieter since they really aren't true quacking ducks.. Their one of the few not derived from mallards to.. I understood them to be hardy, good foragers and generally easy keepers.. which i have found all of mine to be. forgot.. they are supposed to be good brooders to but I'm not trying that here
I meant by "wilder" that i heard they don't like normal hen/duck houses they have to have like a hut, and drakes can be feisty during breeding season, is this true?
Mine live in a normal duck house not a hut, and the Drakes do like their hens if you get my drift but probably not any more than other duck species.
My muscovy don't have a "house" just a run with a covered section but I'm in FL so everything is open air. They put themselves to bed every night. My runners were in the same setup. I think all drakes can be fiesty during breeding season, my runners were but my muscovy aren't old enough yet so I'm not sure. I like them better. They are quiet, huge and from what I've read, good mothers. They have interesting personalities too.
They like shelter but it has to be to their liking. Mine free range 24/7/365 so they pick where they want to be. Mostly that's under our deck. It's fine by me, they are safe by the house and that way no weeds or anything grow under there I wouldn't say they are more wild. Mine actually love me quite a bit and come running (or flying) for me in the mornings and at night when they want corn. My other ducks could care less most of the time. My drakes do tend to be "feisty" when it's mating time but wouldn't you be lol? The older one picks on the younger one, younger one runs away. Problem solved. My older drake does all the business but I have to have 2 because you never know what can happen and end up drake-less. If you mean they get aggressive towards people I've never had that problem. They are always friendly to me. I love muscovies, sometimes so much I've thought about making them my only duck. But I love ducks too much so I keep the others around
J's Orpingtons : I meant by "wilder" that i heard they don't like normal hen/duck houses they have to have like a hut, and drakes can be feisty during breeding season, is this true? Not really, I kept my muscovy with chickens but there was no question the muscovy ruled the roost and yes my muscovy would roost like chickens do but they were somewhat bullys and insisted on the higest roost bar. Muscovy are perching ducks that sleep in trees in the wild and the females were much smaller than the males in order to nest in holes in old trees or in hollow trees. one sure way to tell muscovy ducklings from other breed ducklings is look at the sharp claws on a muscovy. if you have stacked nest boxes the muscovy will usually choose one of the top boxes out of instinct. The light ducks fly like birds and mine had the nasty habit of perching [and pooping] on the ridge and eves of my garage. My Drakes could join them there but only at great effort because their bodies were huge in comparision to their wings. Roosters and drakes will sometimes fight over who is boss. The drakes are usually heavier but lacks spurs or a sharp beak but the claws can be deadly. Unlike normal ducks muscovies tend to breed anytime during warm weather so yes the drakes are feisty during breeding season but it lasts all summer long! Some of the ducks produced three cluches of ducklings over our long hot summers.~gd
Not sure what wilder means but mine are just like any other duck. They never fly away (just around the property), they are very well mannered, tame, not loud, will sleep on the ground or in the chicken stalls or roost with the chickens, not fussy, don't like to fight. Just an all around great breed of duck. I wouldn't have any other breed. I love the Muscovy duck!
Muscovy's are my favorite breed of duck. They aren't any wilder then any other duck, mine live in the same coop as the geese and they put themselves to bed every night.
