Muscovy Hen TOO BROODY

[Mudbillkisses]

I have 2 Muscovy brooding on nothing I make sure to take up all eggs. One is pretty passive comes out a few times a day to eat and swim and of course do the broody poop. The other one is cranky as ever she has to be separated from the other muscovy or she torments the females. She has a bad attitude toward everyone except she isn't aggressive with me. Neither is the other one. I use to try to break them doing everything except I never have used a broody breaker. I just let it run its course watching them hang on the hardware cloth going into their house was too much for me so now they just get to sit as long as they come out every day. Both these girls are going to be 11yrs old in July you'd sure think they would be over this. But they surprised me and both have laid this year.

Oh my goodness, yes- mine is like the one that torments the other we have. It's helpful for me to read about other's experiences with this. When my muscovy was broody for 5 months, she got to the point where she didn't come out without being taken off the nest. I just don't want it to get to that point again. With the above feedback, I'm considering getting some fertilized eggs for her to sit on and hatch. I just can't keep them. These ducks are always keeping us on our toes ; )

 

[Miss Lydia]

They sure do keep us on our toes. I've been living with broodies since 2005 when my first Muscovy became sexually mature. These girls just don't want to give up. They have hatched ducklings over the years but I don't want any more drakes[I have 2 a Muscovy and Runner ] that's enough and finding homes around here is near impossible so no hatching any time soon. I also have 5 chicken hens brooding on nothing. Some of these girls got to be mommies last year though but they don't give up either.

 

[Mudbillkisses]

My experience with broody Muscovies is that letting them hatch even one egg can get them through the summer. Then, as the days begin to shorten, something in them tells them to give up setting for the winter.

Muscovy ducks are beautiful mothers. My OG mama, CoCo, would disappear under the barn for a month, then come out with 10-15 ducklings—most of which survived to young adulthood.

Thanks for your feedback with this. My muscovy hen that is dealing with this was broody well into winter last time around, so I'd love to avoid that this time around if possible. It's just hard on her. Do you think she'd sit and hatch fertilized chicken eggs? I think I'd have an easier time rehoming chicks once hatched than ducks.

My other muscovy hen actually raised the hen that I'm writing about (didn't hatch because we got the ducklings at a day old)- and it was so wonderful watching her. She was the best mom and so sweet and dutiful. She was hand raised and comfortable with us so we got to be up close and personal with the ducklings.

 

[Mudbillkisses]

My experience with broody Muscovies is that letting them hatch even one egg can get them through the summer. Then, as the days begin to shorten, something in them tells them to give up setting for the winter.

Muscovy ducks are beautiful mothers. My OG mama, CoCo, would disappear under the barn for a month, then come out with 10-15 ducklings—most of which survived to young adulthood.

I would love to see Juniper as a mom- I am considering getting some fertilized eggs for her to sit on. It's a lot of effort on my part, but it might be worth it. I can't keep them but it might be what she needs

 

[Mudbillkisses]

I have another question- do muscovy hens need grit? I've supplied oyster shells but they don't seem interested but then I find Juniper, over and over again, eating out of the firepit or potted plants. I think she wants grit? Any suggestions?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Mine free range every day and have access to all kinds of grit but I still keep it out for them.

 

[Mudbillkisses]

Mine free range every day and have access to all kinds of grit but I still keep it out for them.

Ok, thanks...do you have yours on a feeding schedule? Historically I have left all -flock pellet food out at all times but the squirrels and other animals are eating it. Since the ducks go long periods without eating it since they free range during the day, I'd like to remove the pellet food and only give them access to it at night when they're in their coop. I want to make sure they're getting enough during the day though. What's your food regimen like?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I keep feed out during daylight hours. Mine don't get food and water inside their coops way to messy.

 

[Yardmom]

I would love to see Juniper as a mom- I am considering getting some fertilized eggs for her to sit on. It's a lot of effort on my part, but it might be worth it. I can't keep them but it might be what she needs

It sounds like you have not gotten eggs yet, but are still considering it. I do have experience with giving a moscovy chicks. I snuck them in when my muscovy's eggs went bad. When they hatched she did get off the nest with them. She did not stay with them very long though. The chicks were on there own after about 2 weeks. I have no idea if the short "being a mom" had anything to do with them being chickens or not.

 

[Mudbillkisses]

It sounds like you have not gotten eggs yet, but are still considering it. I do have experience with giving a moscovy chicks. I snuck them in when my muscovy's eggs went bad. When they hatched she did get off the nest with them. She did not stay with them very long though. The chicks were on there own after about 2 weeks. I have no idea if the short "being a mom" had anything to do with them being chickens or not.

That's interesting. The only experience I have with it is when my oldest muscovy Lucy was introduced to a few day old ducklings we got from a local farm, she took to them within a few days of being introduced and mothered them for weeks after. It was really cool to watch- she hadn't even been sitting at that point. One of those ducklings she mothered is the other one we have that's now super broody.