One Week Old Muscovy Kids

[chickboss]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!

Now that is naughty! You may need more of a disclaimer there!

Was he raised with only chickens? I am now wondering how he feels about the ducks....

I think the funniest part is that he seems so sweet about it all.

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

Oops, hope it wasn't too inappropriate. Well, he was raised with his brother, who ran away and now lives down the street with another family under a new name. LOL. We have another rabbit that moved in from next door, but they don't get along AT ALL so that one (Foo Foo) is in a hutch. Willie just always loved the hens. I don't know why, but he did. And he usually had a favorite. ??? Ducks? I don't know, because the female's (we are on number 2) have never wanted him too close, and the male obviously has no interest. Willie seems to just ignore them.

Maybe it's time for a female friend? Wait, that's how the neighbors went from 2 rabbits to 20!

-Dave

 

[chickboss]

LOL, yep, that's why everyone says "they breed like rabbits!" LOL. He sounds like a little character! How long have you had your Muscovies?

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

I think I bought my pair in September at 8 weeks of age or so. The female flew away earlier this spring, which was a tough thing since she was much tamer than my male. Since then I bought a new female who is always in the run, and the male has become much, much more approachable and attached. I would love to clip the wings of the female (which I've nver done before) so that when the ducklings are older she doesn't fly away, too. However, I think because she is so afraid of getting close to me that I will probably choose to part with her and keep one of her female offspring. As for the male, I hate to get rid of him if he is going to be friendly to me, so we'll see what happens. I really don't want more than one pair, but he is such a rough boy with the females that I think he would hurt a younger one inadvertently.

Anyhow, long story short, we've had them about 9 months.

-Dave

 

[chickboss]

Clipping wings is a very easy task if you ever decide to do it. It seems like I've heard those 'Scovie boys are trouble, mine are too young still. That's too bad the one took off... Mine were terrified of me for the first 6 weeks, and I was really nice! I kept thinking "And these are suposed to be the friendly ducks?" LOL, I loved them anyway, and now I can go out with them in their yard and just sit with them and they don't run away. I like that, I don't need or expect them to be total pets, but it is peaceful just to kind of be amongst them for a bit.

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

Well, the male has changed 180 degrees from six months ago. Today I can pick him up (for a moment or two) and toss him into their little pond or over the fence away from the wife and kids (his, not mine). I can pet him and rub him and while he get's his feathers ruffled a pinch, he seems to be ok with it. When not hanging out by the run, he can often be found on our deck, pecking on the sliding glass door and hanging around there. His poop soon draws the ire of the wife and kids (mine, not his) and back into their area he goes.

-Dave

 

[chickboss]

Epic. Epic Poop!

I can't imagine the mess I would have to hose of everyday if mine were by the house. Oh, wait, yes I can because I had to brood them in the house....Uggh, they are all lucky I was a farm girl for awhile before now . Such a relief when they move outside. He sounds like he is turning into a real sweet heart. LOL, poop and all, I think it would be pretty cute to have a duck spying on the household from the back window...

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

Well, Chickboss, you obviously aren't my wife. LOL!

-Dave

 

[chickboss]

What are you going to do with all those babies anyway? You live in town I'm assuming.

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

Well, when the dust settles I intend to still have one male and one female muscovy. I am undecided how that will go, though. I am not bonded to my female now because she came from a farm setting already about 6 months old. She had never been handled or contained, so I have never touched her unless it is literally trying to keep her from fleeing. With the little ones, she has been out and about in the yard, and I think she is getting used to me being around, but I don't think she'll ever accept me or stay put once the babies are older without a serious wing-clipping.

The male is more friendly and approachable now, so I would almost feel bad parting with him. But in the end I might just keep two of the little ones and sell the rest as well as their parents. I guess I am still undecided.

We are in a neighborhood with very close homes. Because of the shape of our backyard, we actually border five other homes. I can't imagine what they might think, but fortunately three of them are Ukranian families - next door got chickens and rabbits after we did (lol), behind us in one yard they have a rabbit that runs free like ours does, and the third seems very indifferent overall. In fact, a few years ago I had one of my hens fly over into their yard and I had to drive around the block to their home, ask if I could go in their backyard and get my chicken, and then take her back home riding shotgun. Ya, I'm sure they love me....lol.

The good thing is that we enjoy having them pretty free in our backyard, or at least with quite a bit of room. The problem is that this allows them to poop on things, cause havoc sometimes with plants/flowers, and otherwise just risk having them escape. There have been bunny parties up and down the street several times before, we've had chickens and ducks variously fly into the front yard with neighbors looking on somewhat ..... I'm not sure what the word is, but it's not very positive, and at least four of the five bordering neighbors have had a chicken or rabbit in their yard at one time or another. Not a big deal at all, and no harm of course, but you do end up getting labeled I'm sure.

So yes, probably sell the babies and keep just two of the duck overall to continue on.

-Dave