Muscovy duck and getting her to nest.

[Castlemaid]

Hi again! Newbie here, and thanks for the warm welcome in the introduction sections. I do have a duck questions, but first I just wanted to brag that for the first time since acquiring my flock of 9 hens, I got 9 eggs in one day! Woohoo!

But for the duck question. Please be gentle with me, I inherited the birds with the property I bought, and I'm still learning.

Along with the chickens and roosters, I have 4 Muscovies - one duck and three drakes. The previous owner let the chickens and the ducks free range. The chickens and the ducks both retire to the coop at night. The Ducks spend most of their time hanging out by the pond, near the coop.

I'd love to have my duck raise a clutch of ducklings to even out the male/female ratio, but now, for my stupid question: How do I get the duck to nest? I have not had any duck eggs yet, though the chickens have been laying more or less regularly since January - I think most of the chickens were young birds - pullets - still when I got the place in November.

I've read that Muscovies are great Moms, and readily nest and raise their young. So I'm thinking I'd have to separate her from the other birds, provide a nesting box, and heat for the ducklings when they hatch. I have a barn where the ducklings can be raised in a stall (no other animals in the barn). But, wouldn't separating the duck and isolating her stress her? Should I wait until I see duck eggs? Where would they most likely be if she starts to lay eggs? Outside or in the coop? Any insight would be of great help, thanks!

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

@WVduckchick @Miss Lydia @Table4Six

 

[sylviethecochin]

How do I get the duck to nest?

You don't. It's annoying, but you can't make a bird go broody.

I have not had any duck eggs yet, though the chickens have been laying more or less regularly since January - I think most of the chickens were young birds - pullets - still when I got the place in November.

Normal. My ducks only started laying three weeks ago, and I live quite a bit south of you. I don't think my muscovies are laying yet. Which makes sense, as they are a South American breed. They need light to trigger the hormones that make them lay eggs. Ducks are far more "breeding-season" oriented than chickens are. Which is also why you may want to think about accommodations for at least two of your drakes--they will fight each other and possibly hurt her during breeding season. [make that probably hurt her. Muscovies aren't quite as rapey as mallard-derived ducks, but the drakes tend to be quite large, and you have three of them.]

I've read that Muscovies are great Moms, and readily nest and raise their young. So I'm thinking I'd have to separate her from the other birds, provide a nesting box, and heat for the ducklings when they hatch.

No. When Mum finally does get around to laying her eggs, it'll be two weeks at least before she has a clutch, a further five weeks before she hatches them, and by then, your weather will have warmed up. Most poultry can keep their chicks warm without too much interference. Also, it won't make her go broody.

I have a barn where the ducklings can be raised in a stall (no other animals in the barn). But, wouldn't separating the duck and isolating her stress her?

Yep. Which is why it's really not a good idea. Sorry.

Should I wait until I see duck eggs? Where would they most likely be if she starts to lay eggs? Outside or in the coop? Any insight would be of great help, thanks!

Yes. She's not going to go broody unless she's laying eggs. My muscovies like to lay eggs high up, so it really depends on your setup.

 

[WVduckchick]

Scratched my response. Sylvie covered it well!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Scratched my response. Sylvie covered it well!

Thanks!

 

[Claires Poultry]

Hi again! Newbie here, and thanks for the warm welcome in the introduction sections. I do have a duck questions, but first I just wanted to brag that for the first time since acquiring my flock of 9 hens, I got 9 eggs in one day! Woohoo!

But for the duck question. Please be gentle with me, I inherited the birds with the property I bought, and I'm still learning.

Along with the chickens and roosters, I have 4 Muscovies - one duck and three drakes. The previous owner let the chickens and the ducks free range. The chickens and the ducks both retire to the coop at night. The Ducks spend most of their time hanging out by the pond, near the coop.

I'd love to have my duck raise a clutch of ducklings to even out the male/female ratio, but now, for my stupid question: How do I get the duck to nest? I have not had any duck eggs yet, though the chickens have been laying more or less regularly since January - I think most of the chickens were young birds - pullets - still when I got the place in November.

I've read that Muscovies are great Moms, and readily nest and raise their young. So I'm thinking I'd have to separate her from the other birds, provide a nesting box, and heat for the ducklings when they hatch. I have a barn where the ducklings can be raised in a stall (no other animals in the barn). But, wouldn't separating the duck and isolating her stress her? Should I wait until I see duck eggs? Where would they most likely be if she starts to lay eggs? Outside or in the coop? Any insight would be of great help, thanks!

Congrats on 9 eggs all in 1 day and welcome to BYC!
For your duck to have a nest, she will first have to start laying eggs.

You never know for sure exactly where they will lay their eggs. Sometimes they will sneak away and make a secret nest, sometimes they will lay in the nest box in the coop like they are supposed to, and other times they will just lay one right out in the middle of the yard! Silly ducks!

Unfortunately there is not really any way to make her go broody. Birds just go broody on their own. My Muscovies tend to lay eggs and go broody from April through August and sometimes September. They are great, protective mothers sitting on up to 16 eggs at a time and hatch up to 3 batches a year!

You can make a nest box for her in the coop and see if she will lay eggs in it. I wouldn't separate her until she starts laying eggs and goes broody. I have learned from my ducks that if I separate them before they start laying eggs they just won't lay eggs. I have to wait until they start laying and then I can separate them into different breeding pens.

If she starts laying eggs and goes broody and you decide to move her make sure you move her in the dark - it will be less stressful on her and she will be more likely to stay where you put her.

I hope this is helpful! I pray the best for your new flock!

 

[Castlemaid]

Thank you all! That is exactly the kind of information I'm looking for. I'll just arm myself with patience, and try to glean as much info as I can so I can.

That being said, here is a picture of a weirdly huge egg I found in the coop this morning. That is actually the second one I found in two days.

Is this a muscovy egg? The picture shows me holding the huge egg next to an average hen egg for scale. What I find odd is that I have read that muscovy eggs may be white or a light tan, and this one is green. Plus the color rubs off. Both eggs I found had

all these markings and scratches on them, and when I tried to clean one up, the surface color actually came off. So Duck egg, or just a giant, mutant chicken egg?

 

[Miss Lydia]

When my Muscovys start up laying in the spring I’ll get a few khaki colored eggs your the large one is def Muscovy.

 

[Going Quackers]

Yeah most definitely a scovie egg! my last female resumed laying a few week ago. I agree with what has been said you can't make them go broody(mind you ime most Muscovy females will) and way to many drakes...

They can hurt her and will bully each other over her during breeding season. Good luck!

 

[Castlemaid]

That is awesome!! I'm happy to hear that it is a Muscovy egg. Pretty cool! Hmm, all this time, I've been thinking that I needed to separate the female from the other ducks - maybe I just need to separate the other ducks from the female!