Raising Muscovy's

[angelburch]

I have 5 adult Muscovys (3 Hens and 2 Drakes), and they are laying eggs, however they "critters" are always getting them right before they hatch. I've decided that this year I'm going to collect the eggs and hatch them myself. I have read and read and read on hatching and raising baby Muscovy's, but the one thing I can't find, is when can I let them loose on the pond? We don't have a barn or other area that they ducks stay in at night. We have floating docks in the middle of the pond that they sleep on at night, or they stay on the island in the pond as well. My main concern is whether or not the mature ducks will welcome the new one's or if they will attack them. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas of how to handle this?

 

[duckyfromoz]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Muscovies are slower growing than other ducks - you may have to wait until they are at least 10 weeks old before putting them out with the flock. You would have to watch them carefully to make sure they are accepted- and that they do also go to the safety of the docks and island for sleeping. It might pay to integrate them to the flock slowly over a few days - leaving them out during the day and bringing them in at night- ( if you can herd them back to somewhere safe ) once they are fully accepted by the adults they are more likely to learn that the island and dock is where they are supposed to sleep.

 

[Bleenie]

They should be at least 2 months old before you move them out with the adults, they will be big enough then and have some hard feathers too. The adults will pick on them a little to begin with, they have to let them know who the boss is, the hens will probably be more brattish than the drakes, that's how mine are anyway.

Do you plan to leave them under momma for a while before moving them to the incubator? or incubating them the whole 35 days? Hatch rates are much better if you can have mom help for as long as possible then move them to the incubator.

I just moved some Blue Fawns into the incubator(from mom) a few days ago that are hatching now