Muscovy keepers share your pics!

[yoopergirl1211]

Hey all! Lots of babies running around here. Anyone ever have issues with babies getting mixed up on who their mommy is? Ive got 2 day olds running with two week olds and all sorts of odd combos. One mom has pretty much made me the babysitter and I have a 12 duck trail behind me everywhere I go. The super young ones that keep getting lost I was thinking of taking inside. Its super warm here but they're not getting the mothering from the moms with older babies I don't think. Heres one batch

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hey all! Lots of babies running around here. Anyone ever have issues with babies getting mixed up on who their mommy is? Ive got 2 day olds running with two week olds and all sorts of odd combos. One mom has pretty much made me the babysitter and I have a 12 duck trail behind me everywhere I go. The super young ones that keep getting lost I was thinking of taking inside. Its super warm here but they're not getting the mothering from the moms with older babies I don't think. Heres one batch View attachment 1464276

Last time I let a few hens raise some they took to leaving them all in the shed in a group after the first week or two, than they went out to forage.

I might confine the really young ones for a while even though moms are always interested in getting back outside after they hatch. I used to lose some ducklings because the mom wouldn't bring them back to the shed and the feed. Moms don't always know best.

 

[Lil Drake40]

One year it was a nightmare when 3 of my scovys hatched ducklings the ducklings would see the other ducklings and fall in line behind them and 1 mama would end up with them all and I would have to get the other 2 moms their babes backboy won’t ever do that again. I agree youngest need special care and protection. That is a precious pic!

 

[yoopergirl1211]

It definitely is a nightmare. Most of these moms are first timers too so its just mass pandemonium. I have over 70 ducklings total running around my yard. Can't wait to start selling. Its cute but a headache. Upside my duck with brown and blue feathers hatched out 3 that I think will look like her! And my boy girl ratio is actually in my favor for a change. I'll try to get pics up. And Barbosa my one footed guy has completely integrated back into the flock. No more being a loner!

 

[yoopergirl1211]

One of the moms brought her babies into my kitchen. I had a flake of straw for my brooder on the floor and they tore it apart and were in the dog bowl. Dogs were like stop pooping in or water lol. I couldn't believe it. Now I cant leave my front door open or she just walks right in.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It definitely is a nightmare. Most of these moms are first timers too so its just mass pandemonium. I have over 70 ducklings total running around my yard. Can't wait to start selling. Its cute but a headache. Upside my duck with brown and blue feathers hatched out 3 that I think will look like her! And my boy girl ratio is actually in my favor for a change. I'll try to get pics up. And Barbosa my one footed guy has completely integrated back into the flock. No more being a loner!

We did that one year. Let all 5 hens set and hatch. Husband said "let them go". We we ended up with more than 50 muscovy and couldn't sell a single one. We ended up butchering most and I never "let them go" again. Hopefully you have better luck selling than I did.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Gorgeous Kids. That is so cool that Barbosa is now back with everyone. How funny never had a mama bring her ducklings inside but if my back door is open I usually have ducks and geese come walk right inside.

We did that one year. Let all 5 hens set and hatch. Husband said "let them go". We we ended up with more than 50 muscovy and couldn't sell a single one. We ended up butchering most and I never "let them go" again. Hopefully you have better luck selling than I did.

That is one reason we practice birth control here [taking away eggs] not many interested in ducks in our neck of the woods.

 

[yoopergirl1211]

I actually have most of them sold already. I work at a gourmet hot dog joint that just got named #10 in the country and I get a lot of sales just from talking Muscovy up. Getting 15 for girls and any pretty colors and 10 for black and white. I was worried I wouldn't have enough. The extra boys get butchered and I sell them for 20 or more depending on size. Should make out pretty well this batch!

 

[Eagle Flight Farm]

Here is a pic of our Muscovy hatchlings today at 11 weeks and 3 days old. We still don’t know their gender, but they are all 3 the same size, so we think they are all the same gender ... whatever it is!

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are gorgeous and the one standing looks to have legs close together which can mean female, but getting pics full body front and side would help.