Muscovy questions

[Kessel23]

I got 4 new Muscovies from a swap meet last week, I think they are chocolates but i'm not sure. I was wondering how old the might be, when can I expect them to lay? Also, I read someones post a while ago about how Muscovy hens won't go broody with their first clutch, the other hens I have had did go broody with their first clutch, are you not supposed to let them go broody for the first time or something? Here is a picture.

All of them look to be the same age, I think they are from the same brood. The Caruncle has started to grow and turn more red since I got them, with my last hen when this happened she laid a few weeks later, once her caruncle was fully formed, was that just a coincidence or is that like an actual thing?

 

[featherhead007]

Yep, Moscovy"s..... Yes they are supposed to look like that!

 

[Kessel23]

The plural of Muscovy is Muscovies, not Muscovy"s, also what do you mean they are supposed to look like that?

 

[Kessel23]

Yep, Moscovy"s..... Yes they are supposed to look like that!

I did not ask what they were supposed to look like, I asked how old they were and when I could expect them to lay, along with a broody question. I know what a Muscovy looks like, I know this might be hard to believe but I have seen a few of them before

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

Yes they are chocolates. And they look young so it may be a while till they start laying. I’m not too sure about ‘brooding’ thing as most of my ducks were mature when they brooded I think. I think what it means is you shouldn’t let them sit on their first month worth of eggs, then let them as they shouldn’t have any small eggs or eggs with veins in them... that’s just what I’ve read.

 

[EverythingZen]

My Muscovy girls don't seem to do what they are supposed to do, given everything I've read on here, so take my advice with a hefty salt dose!
They first started egg laying fairly young, at about 4-6 months, but they scattered the eggs in random places, singles or doubles. This went on for another month or so until one of them finally built a full nest and laid a proper clutch, adding to it for a few days until they are, I suppose, satisfied or finished production.
Nowadays, they build a new nest every few months. I don't own a drake so I have to watch out for when one of them goes incognito for a few days so I can track it down to dismantle it. Even without a drake they will still build and sit, just as if they are viable.
Their caruncles were mostly formed (but one of my girls has a really large one that I think could pass as a drakes' so I'm not sure it's a good gage of maturity - hers has just kept on growing like some ugly tumour lol), so perhaps you are right in assuming that is some kind of puberty milestone or something? Lol.
It's hard to guess age from your photos, but they look about the same age as my girls when they began the egg business. They still did a little more fattening up and got a few more longer tail feathers, but this all occurred around the same period of time. I suppose the short answer to this is when they had reached almost physical maturity was when they began all their adult behaviours like eggs, attitude, demanding tantrums, personalities etc.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Sweet looking muscovy!
Mine are 6 weeks old, so I have no answers for you. I am sure others with more knowledge regarding muscovies will pop in sooner or later. I will tag a few members to see what they have to say. Might need more photos though.
@Nyla
@Miss Lydia

 

[Kessel23]

Thanks for the help you 3! So I should not let them set their first clutch? I guess I will just have to eat the first eggs, but that is fine.

 

[Nyla]

Hello! You Muscovy is a chocolate! She looks to be around 4-5 Months old. Muscovy ducks start laying eggs around 6-7 months old, so really soon! When she has come into laying age, she will have her caruncles starting to form around her eyes!
This is one of my Chocolate females. This picture was taken when she laid her first egg at 6 and 1/2 months old.

 

[Gray Farms]

They'll set their first clutch if you let them. Mine always have. They look young, 2 years or less. It seems like the further north you live the later they set. Mine usually start setting in late May each year. And typically set 3 times if I take the ducklings after they hatch.