My Drakes Won't Play Nice

[Miss Lydia]

They are gorgeous. Hope it works out having the 2 drakes. That is awesome you were able to get them they sure look like a flock.

My Muscovy drake would never tolerate another Muscovy drake here I always had to keep my scovy drakes separated but he has never paid much attention to my Runner drake Snoop at all. I am not sure he thinks he is a duck. lol And Snoop never challenges him either.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

As of right now, they act as 2 separate flocks. There is a flock of 2 and a flock of 4. They mostly keep to themselves, but when they are together (perhaps digging into the pile of snails I brought them) they seem to get along just fine.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That may change with time although my ducks are 2 flocks also one is scovy the other is Runners and Buffs. They all sleep together though. No hanky panky between the 2 groups either.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

I can't imagine what the result would be if there was business going on!

My ultimate goal with be to divide my run in half whenever I want to breed. I'd like to be able to control which colors I get out of them. My wife and I LOVE the all-buff coloring of Barbara, so I may isolate her and the fawn-and-white Basil come breeding time. Other than that they will just mingle and (hopefully) all be happy, healthy ducks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like a great combination Hope you get some ducklings, Are you going to let the girls sit if they will? My Runners and Buffs came from females that were brooders but my females haven't shown any desire to brood. But with having Muscovy's I don't need any other brooders.
They hatched the Runners and Buffs for me.

If Basil isn't too upset now having a new drake in the flock then hopefully it will all go smoothly and he will be the fearless leader.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

I will definitely let them sit if they will. Before I got them, Wanda sat on and hatched her own clutch, although the ducklings died because of owner negligence (they came from a really bad situation). I'm hoping she will sit again. The other ladies I am not sure, as they are about 6 months old and only just now starting to lay.

If none of them will lay on their own, I may invest in a broody duck of another variety. I would rather do that than get an incubator. I have heard muscovies do great laying, but are there any others that are notorious for being broody? I am not a big fan of muscovies, although I understand a lot of people like them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Muscovy's are wonderful at being broody but there are other breeds. My Buffs came from broody mama too so Buff Orpingtons might be a breed to consider. If you get a Muscovy I would suggest 2 because they don't speak same language as other breeds. A lot of breeds have had broodiness bred out in place of lots of egg laying.

 

[CayugaJana]

I’m so glad you have a happy flock now! And that is lucky you found someone just down the road. Can’t get any better than that.

I hear Khaki Campbell’s are good mothers and broody. As well as laying a ton of eggs. But don’t really know from experience. I’ve only had a KC drake.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

I will see about getting some KCs then. I do know a local supplier of those. Thanks for the advice!