Muscovy ducks and nesting.

[GeoGreyWolf]

Hello all, I am slowly working on plans to modify my duck house one final time. Tired of hitting my back on the way out of the thing (I am a short guy this shouldn't be happening). I want to be able to walk into the house and have a hardwired mesh area to the left of the house with a small house in it for when i get to hatch eggs if my ladies will lay them. My biggest questions concern my Muscovy juvenile, when it is adult i heard they like to perch and nest up higher, any idea how high and anyone have anything built into their house for the Muscovy they can show me? Also noticed this morning my female Mallard was up on top of the nest box, wondering if i should have something up higher for her too? Thank you in advance for all the help you guys give me. Trying to absorb it all in and read article, books etc since I am a duck newbie.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My muscovy range from sleeping on the ground to going 30 feet up into the rafters of my shed. So put them where you want them. The majority of my muscovy favor a roost about 6 feet up, runs above the goat area and they need to fly or climb to get up there.

In my experiences any 2x4 roost will work, 3-6 feet off the ground seems best.

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

Awesome thank you. I plan on building it to be 6 1/2 feet high so i can see about putting something 4 feet up or so.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That should work fine. In the summer my muscovy patrol the yard eating bugs most of the night, and do most of their sleeping during the day. They are fascinating birds. Good bug patrol without the destruction of chickens, and the noise of birds like guineas.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Muscovy's roost in summer with the chickens highest roost is 4' in winter they sleep in the shavings.

 

[Raenh]

My two are house kept, but i turned a metal bunkbed into a loft for them using the top for the hammock<made from one of those large expandable cloth baby gates, i put clear non stick shelving plastic on it for easy cleanup> and their food/water bowls at one end. Bottom bunk i used the sides that are supposed to be uptop as supports for a platform i bult to put the small coop ex rabbits hutch on, and they have two 5 ft cat trees. To keep from having to use carpet cleaner everyday, i put down this grey foamlike mat to make cleaning up easier.
They like jumping from one tree to the next, and to the hammock and only touch ground if they wanna know where i am, or to torture liam<my dog> but for the most part because of another problem im working on, they don't like being on the ground. Im debating on buying another loft and taking this one outside wrap it completely in hardware cloth with a plywood roof, and have a run from the porch to it, so they can be outside without me worrying that they'll run off or get hurt. And it would work well for when i need to get fancy his harem... cause i can always add sides and a floor to turn it into a coop.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I love your ideas please keep us updated along with pics.

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

Will do, once i actually start to try and build it.. Right now cold and rain, so will probably wait a month or so.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Are you getting any of the nor easter that is heading up the east coast?

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

yeah, I am in central florida. But right now were in the 40's and non stop rain. I brought Lucky inside the garage. Figured even though he is 8 weeks (assuming he since feet seem big to me) and has feathers, the down pour and mid to low 40's not the best for him. Still hoping Lucky would be a girl so i dont have to look at re homing once he is of breeding age.. Not sure how 1 male muscovy, 1 male swedish and 3 female ducks will do together