Turkey or Muscoveys for raising meat birds?

[Njinja]

I've hatched Muscovy eggs under a chicken and since I don't have access to a real incubator, under an incandescent bulb (you gotta watch the temperature, and frankly I've only succeeded with eggs that started out under either a duck or a chicken). My problem is I have dump nests where multiple birds (multiple species) lay. Sometimes one broody hen will want to set before the others have finished laying so I've got different hatch dates. When the first hatch, I finish the others under a lamp. When the broody mother is a chicken hen, rather than a Muscovy hen, she'll take the late duckling hatches with no problem.

 

[kaumlauf]

Thank you all for sharing your knowledge. We have made an about face, and are going to raise capons instead- I will be the caponizer, as I used to want to be a vet, and have good fine motor skills. Now we are researching the best breeds to caponize, and I am watching as many utube vids and other stuff to learn how to do it without killing them or causing too much pain.

 

[cstronks]

I would go with turkeys over ducks. The meat is much more versatile and can be sliced into lunch meat, roasted, turned into sausage or burgers...without a doubt easier for a family. Ducks are hardier, however they are very, very messy, so take that into consideration. Depending on what breed of turkey you get, you can also get a ton of meat. Industrial strains grow rapidly and produce large quantities of meat. They can be butchered earlier than ducks. Ultimately, it is your decision, but I would venture that turkeys are more practical than ducks.