Musky smelling ducks

[daraae921]

I just got a pair of 3 1/2 month old Silver Appleyards. I had no previous experience with this breed. I got them based on what I had read about them. I knew that they where supposed to be calm and friendly... but I had no idea that a duck could be so..almost cuddly. I love these guys.
Here is my question- They have a very musky smell. I have never gotten an older bird before so I don't know if they just smell differently depending on where they live or what. They were fed the same thing as I feed my ducks. They didn't have access to swimming water, so maybe that's it but i have
had them for almost a week now and all they do is wash in the pool... the smell isn't calming down any. Any thoughts?
Dara

 

[LV426]

I've never had a musky smelling duck. What kind of bedding do you have for them? Are they free range? Maybe they are getting into something when they are foraging.

 

[daraae921]

We just use pine shavings. Our original ducks don't smell. The new ones though, they smell like goats. Do alpacas smell musky? They came from an alpaca farm. They were seperated but right next to them. I don't know. They lived with many other ducks in roughly a 50x50 foot fenced area with just grass (and of course mud...you know ducks.) I can't imagine them eating anything that would make them smell this way.