Texas

[Fire Ant Farm]

The guinea and chicken chicks from the first incuview hatch are growing like weeds. Our Muscovy ducklings are also growing very fast. I hope to have an all chicken hatch start on Friday night or Saturday and will update.
Ed
Lampasas, Texas

Now you've got me wanting to raise Muscovy ducks. I never even considered ducks before. Curse you, tempter!

{{{{{shaking fist}}}}}

(Ahem)

Nice birds.

- Ant Farm

 

[wilded]

Now you've got me wanting to raise Muscovy ducks. I never even considered ducks before. Curse you, tempter!

{{{{{shaking fist}}}}}

(Ahem)

Nice birds.

- Ant Farm

The Muscovy ducks are wonderful. They eat tons of mosquitos and bugs. The meat is very good and not duck like, the eggs are big and make wonderful omlets and light fluffy baked goods.
Here is a link to more information for you to read http://chickenscratchny.com/2015/01/muscovy-ducks-sustainability.html
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/dennis_p_smith/

 

[orumpoultry]

The Muscovy ducks are wonderful.  They eat tons of mosquitos and bugs.  The meat is very good and not duck like, the eggs are big and make wonderful omlets and light fluffy baked goods.
Here is a link to more information for you to read http://chickenscratchny.com/2015/01/muscovy-ducks-sustainability.html
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/dennis_p_smith/

And they go broody if the wind changes direction.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

The Muscovy ducks are wonderful. They eat tons of mosquitos and bugs. The meat is very good and not duck like, the eggs are big and make wonderful omlets and light fluffy baked goods.
Here is a link to more information for you to read http://chickenscratchny.com/2015/01/muscovy-ducks-sustainability.html
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/dennis_p_smith/

More reading to do...

{{{Le sigh}}}

Thanks!!!!

- Ant Farm

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

The Muscovy ducks are wonderful. They eat tons of mosquitos and bugs. The meat is very good and not duck like, the eggs are big and make wonderful omlets and light fluffy baked goods.
Here is a link to more information for you to read http://chickenscratchny.com/2015/01/muscovy-ducks-sustainability.html
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/dennis_p_smith/

OK, you are evil. You have me looking at Country Hatchery. (Get thee behind me!!!!) Two quick questions:

-How good are they with predator avoidance in your experience? (Hawks and owls especially.) How much does color have to do with that? (I was thinking white muscovites might be at a disadvantage...)

-If I have an 8 foot fence all around my property (approx. 1 acre in back of house, mostly wild/native), will they still fly away if allowed to roam on my property?

(OK, third question, do you ever sell chicks?)

- Ant Farm

(Edited for typo)

 

[reindeermama]

Well, fudge, I guess I will have to keep researching. This feed thing is complicated and we want to feed organic.

 

[reindeermama]

Awesome yard.

 

[bnjrob]

It is because they are the French Jumbos and size keeps them from breeding properly. Just like double breasted bronze turkeys most French Jumbo Guineas are bred by artificial insemination of which I know nothing. Also the fact that we find their nests out in open fields of high weeds in 98-103 degree temps with a hen on top of the eggs does not help them. I bought two normal size guineas to add to the flock hoping to get a cross bigger than a normal guinea but able to breed on their own.
Ed
Lampasas, Texas

OK, that was what I was thinking it probably was, since you had said that they were the Jumbos. I've never seen the Jumbos before but was picturing them as maybe being like those turkeys. Our stupid guinea keets are so irritating that the hubby keeps reminding me that if they turn out to be more trouble than they are worth, they still taste good even if they are not even as big as our chickens. LOL.

 

[wilded]

OK, you are evil. You have me looking at Country Hatchery. (Get thee behind me!!!!) Two quick questions:

-How good are they with predator avoidance in your experience? (Hawks and owls especially.) How much does color have to do with that? (I was thinking white muscovites might be at a disadvantage...)

-If I have an 8 foot fence all around my property (approx. 1 acre in back of house, mostly wild/native), will they still fly away if allowed to roam on my property?

(OK, third question, do you ever sell chicks?)

- Ant Farm

(Edited for typo)

We have had nine Muscovy duck adults for around six months and have not lost any to predators. We have lost a couple of ducklings so we keep the mothers and little ones in a pen for around three weeks until the get big enough to roam. If you do not clip their wings a Muscovy can fly a long ways. We clip our original nine but will not be clipping the ones we raise as they bond to the place. Yes I have chicks for sale or trade.
Ed Thomas
Lampasas, Texas

 

[Nomibear]

I'm going to be in the Katy Area tomorrow. If anyone in the area has chicks or hatching eggs that I "need", please PM me