Rasing Muscovy ducks in my backyard. Legal or illegal?

[yook2000]

I want to buy some Muscovy and raise in my backyard for eggs. I read some posts which said owning Muscovy ducks in backyard was illegal, but some other said the law was changed and people could own Muscovy ducks for meat or eggs, except some counties in FL and TX. Can anyone tell me which statement is right? As I really want to have some quiet ducks in my backyard and Muscovy is my first choice. Thank you very much.

 

[Batty about Banties]

I live in Washington and own Muscovies. Never checked though.

nobody has come to take them away but I also live in an unicorporated town. I guess I really didn't answer your question....

 

[Duckchick2011]

Muscovy's are controversial. They are a migratory bird so there was some debate about whether they should be protected and there were some laws passed regarding them which were reconsidered after the Muscovy's domesticated status was brought to the table. Muscovies have been used in food production for years and can also be found in yards and public lakes all over the country. I do not know specific laws but you should have no problem owning muscovies, they are practically everywhere.

 

[Bleenie]

Here's a link to the thread following the Muscovy Regulation.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=304055


And a link to the Regulation Info
http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/R...2010/Muscovy Duck Final Rule 1 March 2010.pdf

 

[pdsavage]

Im sure if it was not legal the hatcheries would not be selling them.

I got mine from Country Hatchery
http://www.countryhatchery.net/

 

[Caprice_Acres]

LEGAL - however they MUST be properly and permanently 'marked' as domestic. This means tattooed, have a rear toe removed, be pinioned, or be banded with a seamless metal band. The seamless metal band is impossible, simply because it's required to be in place before 6 weeks old and muscovies simply grow WAY too much to put any seamless band on them and expect them to be comfortable at adulthood.

I'll be trying tattoo and toe removal this year, or will pinion if so requested. I bought non-seamless bands for my adults, and will be trying to tattoo the adults this year as well. I'm not looking forward to catching and tattooing 20 muscovies...

 

[Emmalion]

They are the next type of duck I want for my place. I'm a rebel

Let them try to tell me I can't have them

I'll just say they flew in

 

[Bleenie]

Caprice, please let me know how the tattooing goes. I have had show bunnies tattooed before but that's it. I really don't want to have to remove toes or pinion any of my birds and the whole banding thing is just stupid. It seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to get a mark on either a foot or under a wing... with a couple people anyway.

but what would I tattoo?? hmmmm.....

 

[yook2000]

thank you guys

 

[DKPoultry]

Tattooed my first muscovy ducklings yesterday

Went really well. A lot easier than doing rabbits. We tattooed the webbing on the left foot. I used an EZ Tatt tattoo pen. They are only a week old so the webbing was really small. We were just going to put DK on them to mark them, I am not concerned with identifying them as individuals, just wanted to link them to our farm. They were too little to actually put the DK on one side, so I put a D on one web and a K on the other. Worked really well. Now just have to catch the adults and get them done...