Muscovy keepers share your pics!

[laughingdog]

I never knew what all were referring to about fermented feed.. would someone please explain?

my pen will not be pretty at all as am using an old pen that was supposed to be temp when only got two scovy as broodies, before knew they were such charmers, and ended up not selling the test batch young for whole lotta money for ducks..then back went out, but figured they slept in pen (or with the dogs. Lol), and free ranged on our rented three acres and three acres on each side of us, oddly quickly learning not to go onto road, but do fly over and stand around on soft ball field occasionally. Odd funny awsome and completely uplifting critters they are!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I never knew what all were referring to about fermented feed.. would someone please explain?

my pen will not be pretty at all as am using an old pen that was supposed to be temp when only got two scovy as broodies, before knew they were such charmers, and ended up not selling the test batch young for whole lotta money for ducks..then back went out, but figured they slept in pen (or with the dogs. Lol), and free ranged on our rented three acres and three acres on each side of us, oddly quickly learning not to go onto road, but do fly over and stand around on soft ball field occasionally. Odd funny awsome and completely uplifting critters they are!

I like to give this link to the FF because it's so easy to do. and it doesn't matter if it's a palace or just a good secure place for them to live, i have found my Scovy's don't impress well they are just happy being. Yes they are all you said for sure. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/no-strain-hot-water-easy-fermented-feed-method-w-video

 

[laughingdog]

The pen is an old bantam chicken pen that was on top of edge of low hill part. it seems perfect for ducks cause of drainage though. it is big railroad ties boxing in pea gravel, withfour posts on corners, wire wrapped around, and chicken wire wrapped around that at bottom. tin is attached and covering fourth of pen on top front and end. hardware cloth covering top, with extra boxed in area on top to stand up in in middle of pen that is all hardware cloth but tin top and side where connects to tin corner. i put tin on half of back side where tin corner is, as was concerned about wind rain and cold getting in more, but was hard to do as an old storage barn is all along one side about two feet away maybe. in it are at times various wooden boxes/boxed in areas ect, dog houses. i didn't know scovy don't like change and was trying tp switch things up for them when dtuck inside at times. sometimes they enjoy and sometimes not at all and just stare and twitter at each other and me getting dangerously personal as I'm trying to work on new arrangements and parts.

@Miss lydia, thank you for the link!
Would adding probiotics like 'probios', that i use for my animals, work to boost fermented feed content and or processes of?
now.. how much hot water to add, how much acv, how long leave for and how warm has to be kept at and do you have to stir on and off? do you take out loaf part when soggy, spongy, or firmer harder an crusty maybe on top? do you use water on bottom ect however it is supposed to look over and over? Just feed like bread, and wrap or leave out to breath between feedings, and does seem to mold quick for you were ever you are? I leave feed when they drag acv water into feed, to eat later but i watch close for mold or odd smells even.
sorry for the twenty questions, but that's how you learn is by being humble enough to ask so you know and can maybe help others with.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The pen is an old bantam chicken pen that was on top of edge of low hill part. it seems perfect for ducks cause of drainage though. it is big railroad ties boxing in pea gravel, withfour posts on corners, wire wrapped around, and chicken wire wrapped around that at bottom. tin is attached and covering fourth of pen on top front and end. hardware cloth covering top, with extra boxed in area on top to stand up in in middle of pen that is all hardware cloth but tin top and side where connects to tin corner. i put tin on half of back side where tin corner is, as was concerned about wind rain and cold getting in more, but was hard to do as an old storage barn is all along one side about two feet away maybe. in it are at times various wooden boxes/boxed in areas ect, dog houses. i didn't know scovy don't like change and was trying tp switch things up for them when dtuck inside at times. sometimes they enjoy and sometimes not at all and just stare and twitter at each other and me getting dangerously personal as I'm trying to work on new arrangements and parts.

@Miss lydia, thank you for the link!
Would adding probiotics like 'probios', that i use for my animals, work to boost fermented feed content and or processes of?
now.. how much hot water to add, how much acv, how long leave for and how warm has to be kept at and do you have to stir on and off? do you take out loaf part when soggy, spongy, or firmer harder an crusty maybe on top? do you use water on bottom ect however it is supposed to look over and over? Just feed like bread, and wrap or leave out to breath between feedings, and does seem to mold quick for you were ever you are? I leave feed when they drag acv water into feed, to eat later but i watch close for mold or odd smells even.
sorry for the twenty questions, but that's how you learn is by being humble enough to ask so you know and can maybe help others with.

Some use yogurt to get their FF started so I would think you could use the probios in it too, I use a gallon food grade bucket[got at the bakery at grocery store] if fill it a little less that 3/4 full [you have to take into consideration the ff is going to swell,] I use a 1/2 gallon bucket of hot water and 1/2 cup of ACV then pour this liquid over the feed stir it real good put a towel over top and let it sit over night, Sometimes I'm 2 days ahead but since i have to have it inside during the winter I am limited in space to have more than 2 buckets going at one time, Buy the next day all the water is absorbed and it's got a nice yeasty smell to it, mine has no water sitting in it at all, it's just nice and moist. it does take a bit of tweaking to get it where you like it. Since the ff would freeze here this time of year i use heated dog bowls to feed it.Using the ACV will usually keep mold from forming, I haven't had a problem with mold since i went to the less water method, when i first started making Ff 16 months ago I used way to much water to where it would sit in the liquid and i did see mold and even though i was told to feed it, I would throw it out, Thats why now I have gotten it where i know how much to use of each component so not to have to waste. Once I start feeding one bucket I get another started. If your not set up to feed ff in the winter, maybe wait till spring and try it with your flock. Mine really like it, I use 80% Flock Raiser to 10% whole oats and 10% 7 way scratch for my FF and when mixing in the bucket I add dried green split peas 4 tablespoons to the 3/4 gallon of feed. just for extra greens over the winter.I hope this makes sense. lol

 

[Going Quackers]

The mom white , which is dominant in muscovies ,and the dad is black, which is also dominant but, the dad was heterozygous for chocolate, and believe it or not they we're only 6 months when the mom laid , the parents were babies in June , but the mom and dad weren't related if your thinking they had a sybling romance

This link should help. I had a couple scovies start at 4mths, so 6mths is not beyond the norm. Doesn't matter if they were related, that is ok for a bit.. eventually you want fresh blood but ducks are a different ballgame with it comes to family relations. Chocolate is the only sex linked gene.

http://www.muscovyduckcentral.com/genetics.html

 

[Going Quackers]

That fourth is very pretty! so are the others lol i have some like those myself.

 

[Buck Oakes]

Oh my gosh your black female is so pretty

 

[Buck Oakes]

My babies are a week old and one day today and one is 6days today

 

[Daniel-Sorensen]

Some of mine

 

[Miss Lydia]

My babies are a week old and one day today and one is 6days today

They are adorable too.