Muscovy Ducks Nesting Habits

[wstowe1210]

Good afternoon everyone, has anyone ever noticed Muscovy females chasing other females from a nest. I have a female that just hatched eggs a week or so ago and has since chased another younger female from her own nest. She seems to have abandoned the eggs which is sad because she has been sitting on them for almost 3 weeks. Anyone care to chime in? Thank you

 

[Amiga]

@Miss Lydia

has Muscovy experience, as does @Going Quackers

and @Scovy Momma

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Miss Lydia

has Muscovy experience, as does @Going Quackers

and @Scovy Momma

My female Scovys will not tolerate another female around their nest when they are brooding one reason that we built stalls when we built our duck house not only does it keep the drakes from fighting when locked up at night but also gives the girls a quiet all their own place to brood and hatch. Seems the lower in pecking order females are the ones who get chased off. It would be best if you can to give your lower ranking girls a place away from the other ducks to brood and hatch and stay for at least a week after hatch. Once ducklings hatch they need at least a week to get their legs under them good and get use to their moms voice so they can make it better once around the rest of the flock.

 

[Going Quackers]

My female Scovys will not tolerate another female around their nest when they are brooding one reason that we built stalls when we built our duck house not only does it keep the drakes from fighting when locked up at night but also gives the girls a quiet all their own place to brood and hatch. Seems the lower in pecking order females are the ones who get chased off. It would be best if you can to give your lower ranking girls a place away from the other ducks to brood and hatch and stay for at least a week after hatch. Once ducklings hatch they need at least a week to get their legs under them good and get use to their moms voice so they can make it better once around the rest of the flock.

Yep. Muscovy females are actually pretty aggressive, even though most only speak of of the drakes. As ML said they are rather territorial, most of my ladies find their own out of the way areas to brood, some of my older stock has been known to brood more closely but typically this is not the case.

FWIW, 1 scovie right now is in the bantam chicken barn, one under a plow, one in my calf hutch in my ewe pen... one in a big dog house, another in a cat box.. and finally one more is under some skid lol.

 

[bantamrooster]

We've never had that issue. Got two brooding right next to each other now and last year we had two sharing one big clutch.
Now our mallards dont like others or us close to their nests. They'll puff up, hiss and charge you.