question about Muscovy and Cayuga mix..will they be able to have ducklings?

sunflowerlady

In the Brooder
8 Years
Jan 11, 2012
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OK so I have 4 white Muscovy ducks that are clearly pure Muscovy but I have 2 black ducks that I bought from CL this fall and was told they were also Muscovy. I'm starting to question that they are true Muscovy though. When I went to get them they were in with their mother who was clearly a Muscovy as she had the caruncles. But these two do not at all show any signs of the caruncles. They are as big as my white Muscovy. They have a beautiful green sheen. So I'm not sure what I have and I'm wondering if they will be fertile. And I'm not even sure if they are boy or girl.....any help would be great. I will get some pictures of them in a little bit to show you guys. Thanks for your help!
 
Crossing a Muscovy with another breed will result in a mule - So no babies from those babies if they aren't full Muscovy
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Muscovies and mallard derived breeds can produce offspring, but the 'mules' will generally be sterile. I have seen posts indicating that some of these crosses may be fertile, but in my experience they have never been fertile.
 
Muscovies and mallard derived breeds can produce offspring, but the 'mules' will generally be sterile.  I have seen posts indicating that some of these crosses may be fertile, but in my experience they have never been fertile.


That is also what I've heard. I have also read that if the male is muscovy and the female is mallard derived, the offspring will be sterile. I have not heard what would happen if the other way around, though I'm sure it's the same.

They CAN have babies - if one is pure muscovy and the other does not have any muscovy in it at all - but the babies will be mules, and therefore the females will not produce eggs and the males will be sterile.

However, if the ones you are talking about are already mixed with muscovy (for sure), most likely will not produce any offspring. If they DO - you must tell us about it!
 
Muscovys and other ducks cannot breed with each other. Kinda like wild rabbits and pet rabbits.


Of course they can breed with one another :p The babies will just not be able to produce eggs and the males will be sterile.

I have seen my dog try to breed with my cat - so anything is possible :gig

ETA: Oh and there is such a thing as a turkey x chicken and a guinea x peafowl, so there is always a possibility!
 
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Sometimes it take a while for their carnuncles to show, so they may still be pure Muscovies. The wild-type black Muscovies have a green sheen as well. In some lights, they can appear to be all green sometimes.
 
There was a thread about how Muscovies came about in so many different colors and it was said that somewhere down the line muscovies had to have bred with other breeds because wild muscovies only come in one color Black.
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There was a thread about how Muscovies came about in so many different colors and it was said that somewhere down the line muscovies had to have bred with other breeds because wild muscovies only come in one color Black.
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Perhaps, but not necessarily. In any population periodically non standard birds/animals spontaneously appear. Happened recently in a penguin colony where a beige and white bird appeared. Anyone taking such a mutation and carefully breeding/selecting might be able to perpetuate the new color.
 

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