muscovy vs mini appleyard bantam

[cottagechick]

I am considering getting a couple of ducks. I have Bantam chickens. I was thinking about Muscovies but I saw a cl ad for mini appleyard bantam ducks...

I really like the idea of bantams....but I am not completely sure if I should get ducks and if so which ducks.

I would like advice from those who have experience with these two breeds.

I have a quarter of an acre ... so not a huge property...I do not have a pond but recognize that I would have to provide a pool for either. I am thinking about getting two ducks.

So my concerns are how the two breeds compare the messiness scale.....keep in mind I have chicken poo all over my porch...a pot bellied pig and a dog...so we are not talking about felix unger cleanliness here...

I am curious about how they differ on the noisiness scale...

I would like them to if not bond with/ at least exist peacefully with my bantys without anyone getting hurt.

I am also curious on how the two breeds differ in eggs...
I have heard that Muscovies are used for fly control....which is very interesting to me. I have not heard this about other ducks.
So does anyone have any experience using either ducks for fly control?
Any other thoughts or cautions...

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

If you have bantam chickens I would get the bantam ducks.... Male ducks sometimes mate the chickenvhens and end up hurting them. So bantams your best choice.

Not many people have mini appleyards. I thought about getting a few but went with silkie ducks insted. Mins apples are SUPER rare. So it would be great to have a few to breed to help the breed become more popular...

For the noise level, all female ducks (except muscovies) are extremly loud! But usually only when hungry.

For eggs. Bantam ducks arent the best layers, but they will lay some decent sized eggs. And muscovies will lay in spring and summet and stop near fall/winter

Muscovies are a very popular breed but are amazing pets, and not nearly as noisy.

Hope this helps.

 

[cottagechick]

Quote:
Thanks for the info. If I got two Muscovies I would hope to get two girls. Which leads me to another question. How much difference does it make in their tameness if I get them as babies versus getting them when they are already sexed?

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
Thanks for the info. If I got two Muscovies I would hope to get two girls. Which leads me to another question. How much difference does it make in their tameness if I get them as babies versus getting them when they are already sexed?

Theu would.probably be nicier if they were with you as babies...

 

[Tahai]

I know muscovies fly...do mini appleyards?

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
All bantam ducks do except silkied ducks.

 

[Wulfandwyn]

Just to start off I am by no means an expert as I just got muscovys ducklings in the summer. They haven't started laying yet but they are very quiet and cute. There are advantages of getting grown ducks such as you can get eggs sooner and that way you know for sure the sex. And DUCKGIRL89 has a good point about the size difference of muscovys and bantams. So far my muscovys have been fine with LF chickens but spring may change things. I have a kiddie pool for my ducks but I think you just need something they can clean their nares out with. I have not noticed any difference with fly control not to say they do or don't. And beware the muscovy razor claws

I learned the hard way when I clipped their wings and due to my inexperience I now have a few battle scars.

 

[Going Quackers]

.........

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

they don't go around randomly quacking for instance.

neither do other ducks. they quack if they have something to quack about.​

 

[Caprice_Acres]

I raise muscovies and Welsh Harlequins.

First, my welsh harlequins are ALWAYS talking about stuff. It's a joke around here that they're always talking smack to everybody.

They're not really doing their LOUD quacks all the time, but they always have something to say in their 'indoor' voices.

MUCH louder than 'scovies.

Muscovies almost NEVER quack - which they CAN do, but they only do it when they're being attacked or when you catch them for whatever reason - in other words, usually extremely distressed and scared. Most of the times, the hens let out a quiet whistle and the drakes hiss.

Muscovies are extremely seasonal layers and mine, at least, only lay when they want to go broody and raise a clutch. They don't lay an egg a day for most of the year like mallard derivative domestic duck breeds often do. If I take their eggs away every day for consumption, they usually just stop laying or find a sneakier place to move their nest to. The main reason I even eat muscovy eggs is because otherwise we'd be overrun with ducklings.

I often let hens lay some eggs, marking them with a pencil. When she has the number I wouldn't mind her hatching out, I start taking the rest for eating.

Neither my muscovies or my welsh harlequins have EVER bred with chickens that I've seen. Well, maybe my welsh harlequins - but my 'scovy boys are VERY gentlemanly. Welsh Harlequins tend to be very 'clique-y' and only stay with THEIR friends. I have 3 groups of WH's... one is my original group of 4 gold hens and 1 silver drake. The other group is 3 silver hens and a silver drake, which I hatched and brooded together this spring. Finally, I have a 'lone' WH that was brooded and raised alone with Muscovies, so thats who she pals around with.

Muscovies are MUCH harder to herd together in a little flock and are less clique-y and are much more individually independant than mallard derivitives.