Muscovy keepers share your pics!

[gaitngirl]

Well, my 3 scovies free ranged most of the day yesterday - I gave up on penning them. They stayed on my property and played in the pond (they were the last to return to the coop last night, even). The guy I got them from had a kiddie pool but no pond on his property so this was a new experience for them. They are still extremely reserved (having their wings clipped certainly didn't help build any trust

). When the rest of the flock - ducks and chickens alike - stampede at feeding time and pretty much run me over, they stay way back and just watch. Even when I toss them choice tidbits, they just step away and won't touch it (while I'm watching anyway . . .). They are enjoying rooting around the pond, though, at least, so I'm pretty sure they are getting enough to eat. I sprinkled duck pellets around the pond last night and saw them eating them this morning. I haven't decided if I will let the hens brood a nest yet or not (if they even go broody). I do have a couple of chickens that are starting to go broody - one of my easter eggers and a cuckoo marans. I might let them sit a few scovie eggs and see what happens . . .

 

[EdenCamp]

Scovys are VERY broody, have 3-4 clutches a season, 1/2-2dz ea.
I'm using them to brood other eggs even. Thier eggs take 37 days to hatch - so much easier for them to take on chickie eggs than a poor chicken to take on thiers. What isn't going so well is the cats stealing ducklings.

 

[gaitngirl]

Scovys are VERY broody, have 3-4 clutches a season, 1/2-2dz ea.
I'm using them to brood other eggs even. Thier eggs take 37 days to hatch - so much easier for them to take on chickie eggs than a poor chicken to take on thiers. What isn't going so well is the cats stealing ducklings.

Yikes! All of the feral cats around here seem to have disappeared. I haven't seen one since last fall. The barn cat that had turned up over a year and a half ago, had kittens in my barn, and stuck around after I had her vetted and fixed even disappeared last November. She was sooo friendly, too. She even moved out of the barn and up to my garage. I made her up a bed, she had food and water, and she loved being a lap cat. I'm afraid the local coyotes got her . . . she was like a dog, always at my heals around the house and barn. She was even fine with the foster dog and her nine pups I took in. She walked along with us out in the field and came back with us after the pups had a good romp. I miss her . . . and I had zero mice and rabbits munching on my horses hay and grain while she was here. She would catch those awful cowbirds mid-air when they flew into the barn. Now I'm being overrun by bunnies and the cowbirds have about 8 nests where I can't get to them! The coyotes stay away from my barn and most of my yard because of the mule but the field out back and the empty property next door are frequented by them at night.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, my 3 scovies free ranged most of the day yesterday - I gave up on penning them. They stayed on my property and played in the pond (they were the last to return to the coop last night, even). The guy I got them from had a kiddie pool but no pond on his property so this was a new experience for them. They are still extremely reserved (having their wings clipped certainly didn't help build any trust

). When the rest of the flock - ducks and chickens alike - stampede at feeding time and pretty much run me over, they stay way back and just watch. Even when I toss them choice tidbits, they just step away and won't touch it (while I'm watching anyway . . .). They are enjoying rooting around the pond, though, at least, so I'm pretty sure they are getting enough to eat. I sprinkled duck pellets around the pond last night and saw them eating them this morning. I haven't decided if I will let the hens brood a nest yet or not (if they even go broody). I do have a couple of chickens that are starting to go broody - one of my easter eggers and a cuckoo marans. I might let them sit a few scovie eggs and see what happens . . .

Sounds like they are settling in. They'll come around it just take times.

 

[Going Quackers]

Sounds like they are settling in. They'll come around it just take times.

I agree, it IS progress i realize not quite what you want but celebrate small victories lol I have some adult females who still act like i am the predator but gotten as 6-7mth olds with no contact but minimal has left them not the most trustworthy, they have improved but it takes time and some will never be as good as raised here ones.

 

[Going Quackers]

Scovys are VERY broody, have 3-4 clutches a season, 1/2-2dz ea.
I'm using them to brood other eggs even. Thier eggs take 37 days to hatch - so much easier for them to take on chickie eggs than a poor chicken to take on thiers. What isn't going so well is the cats stealing ducklings.

Very broody? yeah, think rabbits.

 

[gaitngirl]

Thank you all! This thread has been very informative. Scovies seem to be quite different than the rest of the ducks I've had. I stopped by someone's house a couple miles away that has Muscovies to see his set-up and he offered me ducklings from a school hatching. The school hatches out a couple of hundred every spring and then gives them away! He didn't get any last year but said if he gets any this year he's happy to share!!! And these ducklings have been exposed to kids and handling so should be friendly . . . he says all that he's gotten have been.

 

[gaitngirl]

I guess I really need to get in gear and get my duck set-up set up . . .

 

[keirys]

Thank you all! This thread has been very informative. Scovies seem to be quite different than the rest of the ducks I've had. I stopped by someone's house a couple miles away that has Muscovies to see his set-up and he offered me ducklings from a school hatching. The school hatches out a couple of hundred every spring and then gives them away! He didn't get any last year but said if he gets any this year he's happy to share!!! And these ducklings have been exposed to kids and handling so should be friendly . . . he says all that he's gotten have been.

I want some I live 1/2 hour away

 

[Miss Lydia]

I guess I really need to get in gear and get my duck set-up set up . . .

I've never had any other breed of duck but Scovy's have wanted Runners but not till my scovy's are gone on since all my flock is together and the drakes are just too big for the runner girls. But once you get to know them you'll love them they are so personable, and quiet. lol I love they wag their tails. Congrats on new ducklings when you get them be sure to post pics.