Muscovy drakes now breeding with my Pekin duck!

[littlebanty]

And with the chickens. I saw it with my own eyes this morning when I went to feed them and then later on. But my question is since Ive been reading about the fertility being low when breeding Muscovys with a common duck. Why is that? They have been mating ALL day. I know the ducklings will be mules. She has been laying eggs everyday and the one from yesterday and today I put in the chcikens nest and found them to be missing earlier. They were hiding way down in the bottom of the nest. Is this a clue that she is going to incubate?

 

[Picco]

The incubation period for mallard-derived ducks is 28 days and 35 for muscovies so this can cause a problem and the genetic differences between the species means that fertilization doesn't always happen. Try incubating the eggs though, mule ducks are really cool. It will probably take a lot of eggs just to get a few.

 

[Dodgegal79]

They will be mules if born, or hinnys. Storeys guide to ducks has a whole section on them. They will be sterile if any happen to hatch. I know some place sell these mules for meat producing, they grow faster then the Muscovy and has a very different taste then plain duck.

 

[littlebanty]

Quote:
They will be mules as the result of breeding Muscovy Drake to Pekin Duck. If it was the other way around they would hinnys. MD to PDuck will result in large slow moving, non flying, quackless duck. 70% of them being males. If it was PDrake to a Muscovy Duck the ducks are smaller and supposedly fly and quack. I stil think 70% are still male.

 

[AhBee01]

The mules do make good meat, 98% lean, leaner then turkey.
The meat tastes more like beef then poulrty. We just had some for dinner tonight grilled! It is yummy!
Brenda

 

[WriterofWords]

This makes me curious about my ducks. My Mallard drake and Runner drake mate with both the Runner hen and the White Pekin hen. I have two of the Runner's eggs in the bator and am excited to report they both are developing! I haven't had anything from the Pekin develope though. Might this be due to the differences with the drakes?
I'll be watching to see what happens with your hens!
Kate

 

[PlumTuckered]

I have a question for the OP... has your Pekin Gal had any problems from the Muscovy Drake topping her? My 2 Muscovy Drakes (41/2 months old) have started topping my 3 yr old Pekin Gal and she has a horrible cut up section on her back that I'm trying to help heal right now. My Drakes have 4 Muscovy Hens, 2 Mallard Hens and a Runner/Magpie mix Hen but my poor Pekin seems to be their favorite. I'm seriously thinking of taking my Chicken apron out there and see if it will fit her, she's a pretty petite girl.

Michelle

 

[shelleyd2008]

When muscovies breed with mallard-derived ducks the offspring are sterile. I don't think it decreases the fertility of the mating (parents), just that of the offspring.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
No, they are still mallard-derived ducks.

 

[njduck]

now with it being a muscovy pekin cross. Does it take 28 or 35 days till hatch? most of my muscovys hatch at 32 days?