Muscovy Different from normal ducks?

[jdywntr]

Quote:

Great analogy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[AKCub]

Here is something else I have noticed about Muscovy's in comparison to the 3 mallard derivatives I have now. The scovies smell much less than the Campbells or the Rouen/Campbell mixes. It seems like the oilier feathers of the Mallards have a musky-ish smell to them. I can definitely tell the difference in the way the coop smells in the morning since I got the Mallard derivatives and the way my hands and clothes smell after handling them (the mallards).

Scott

 

[farmdude]

I have found Muscovies to be much calmer & tamer than "regular" ducks. They are quieter too. They go in the chicken coop every night while my regular ducks sleep outside. The males are huge compared to the females and are no more sexually aggressive than regular drakes.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Quote:

So true!

 

[kitkatbahr]

The Muscovy hens are EXCELLENT mothers! I had one this past spring hatch 18 out of 20 eggs and all the babies lived and were nice and healthy. She was a fantastic mama and it was her first time. She had been born the previous spring and had never hatched before!! I thought she did great. She was very protective of all the babies and knew where they all were, every minute of every day. When they were about 8 weeks old, I sold 14 of them, and just before that a friend adopted 2 of them, so I ended up only keeping 2. She was protective of them even up until they were grown! I expect this spring she will hatch me out a bunch more little fuzzy butts! I love muscovies. They are wonderful ducks.

This year, I am going to put some Pekin eggs under her with her first hatch (have to stagger the days, etc as they hatch in 28 days and the scovy eggs in 35 days and I want them all to hatch at the same time). I want her to raise me up some Pekins to add to the three that I have. I hope it works cause my two Pekin hens are terrible mamas and I won't even let them attempt to hatch any eggs now. When I did let them two years ago, they would leave the nest for hours at a time, not sit the eggs consistantly, one kept laying eggs in the nest where the hatching eggs were. They would sit on some eggs but not all of them. I say they, because they were both sharing the nest and nest duties, but one was still laying eggs!! In the nest! It was a mess. By some miracle,two babies tried to hatch (weeks apart!!) and both were stepped on/crushed. I decided then and there that I wasn't going through that again. I will let mama muscovy hatch and raise them and see what happens.

Anyway, I definitely love the muscovies! Oh, by the way, I keep my muscovies in a separate but adjacent pen from my Pekins and Cayuga.

Kathy

BTW:my signature is not currently correct. I need to change it. I currently have 3 scovy hens, 2 scovy drakes (one drake has two hens and one has one - separate pens), then in the big pen, I have 1 Pekin drake, 2 Pekin hens, 1 Cayuga hen, and 1 Pekin/Muscovy mixed drake, who is sterile. I also still have the three dogs and a bunch of cats, as well as a fantastic husband and son.

 

[iajewel]

I raise around 400-600 Muscovy a year and honestly they are not that wild. They are like dogs. I can walk around even the "wild ones" they don't spook and take off like other ducks. I also have some pastels and Cayuga and they are no where near as people oriented at the Muscovy. I keep the wings clipped for the most part. Some times of the year I dont' get clutches done until late fall or even when there is snow on the ground so yes, some hens do fly, but they don't go far as the flock isn't flying with them. So they stick around for the most part. They come up to see you and really are very social with people. I just love them and if I had 5000 I would still know every one and they would all be tame and come up to get attention and be hand fed.. thats just how Muscovy are.

 

[J's Orpingtons]

Okay thanks everyone

think i might get some muscovies then

 

[iajewel]

I may add that the color genetics of the Muscovy is fascinating and makes breeding them allot of fun.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

My muscovies are free range, very calm and they are on any bug that moves. Great brooders and the males are not aggressive to me at all any time..

 

[jessylee]

Hey J's Orpingtons
I got 4 muscovies one year ago and have had no problem getting them to coop up. I will give credit where it is due I adopted them when they were 2 months old approx: and they imprinted on my hens, and fallowed them around EVERY WHERE! Including in the coop at night, They are now one year and still no cooping issues, so I would recommend hen mothers, as far as temperament they will eat out of my hand and are not willing to be picked up, but once you get them (easier to catch than my chickens) they relax and become docile, I LOVE my muscovies, or sometimes i refer to them as my minions!
Ps
Did you ever get some?