Muscovy keepers share your pics!

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How old is your drake? I’d give it a few more days just to know for sure but eggs probably aren’t fertile

We got him last year at about 8 months. I hatched a solitary duckling out of him last fall. Trying to get a few more this spring but so far they are all duds from multiple hens. I've seen him mate a time or two. I'm hoping he's mating at least one of them, but so far nothing. I will wait another week and candle, hopefully something is developing. I just was a few more.

 

[casportpony]

Bell sitting on her nest of 4 eggs. It's the only time I get to pet her a little. I don't touch her too much since I don't want to stress her. She's trying to bite me in the top picture, but it's more like nibbling.

!

 

[casportpony]

So if I'm seeing nothing by day 10 they are duds? I don't think my drake is doing his job.

probably. I usually see them day 5-7, but wait until day 10 just to be sure.

 

[casportpony]

When candling muscovy eggs do you, or anyone else know how soon I should see veins?

I can set one tonight then candle daily and take pictures if you are interested.

 

[casportpony]

We just put our 3 Muscovy babies out that we hatched from eggs in our incubator. They are in our flock enclosure where they can see our other ducks and pair of Buff Geese, but not be harassed by any. All our flock is young, the oldest being 9 weeks old. The 3 Muscovy ducklings are 4 weeks and 6 days old, and one 4 weeks and 5 days old. Our temps are very warm and the enclosure is large and covered. At night the three Muscovies will share a large dog crate in the enclosure and the rest of the flock will be allowed in the enclosure, but still won’t be able to harass or harm them. We will slowly introduce them to the flock until they are fully integrated. Their fenced and covered enclosure is surrounded by 4’ electric poultry netting.

Do you have any idea what their gender might be? All three are about the same size, even though one is 1.5 days younger than the other two.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

probably. I usually see them day 5-7, but wait until day 10 just to be sure.

Thanks. I guess Dwight the drake needs a talking to now.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I can set one tonight then candle daily and take pictures if you are interested.

I would love to see that.

Do you think a duck hen setting in a chicken nesting box would affect the brooding? Though the ones under the chicken weren't good either, she was in a box too. I think I'm grasping at straws.

I have another muscovy hen making herself a big nest with 3 eggs. This is the first time in 6 years I have wanted to actually hatch a few.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope you can get a few to hatch some ducklings.. Here my drakes don't even start mating the females till 8-9 months old so maybe they just take longer to mature and be fertile. My females don't even start laying till 8-9 months old. I can't imagine why your drake at his young age wouldn't be fertile as the dickens.

 

[casportpony]

I would love to see that.

I just found two fresh eggs for you and will set them today.

Do you think a duck hen setting in a chicken nesting box would affect the brooding? Though the ones under the chicken weren't good either, she was in a box too. I think I'm grasping at straws.

Have you cracked one open to see if it's fertile?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I just found two fresh eggs for you and will set them today.

Have you cracked one open to see if it's fertile?

I'm not totally positive what I'm looking for. Something to do with a bullseye, but I never needed to pay attention to exactly what. I was gonna go pull the eggs to candle here in a bit. If they aren't fertile I want to get rid of them sooner rather than later, but would be interested in checking for fertility. Is that something I need to do on fresh eggs or these that have been under the duck for a while? Thanks for your help.