Very loud and continual quacking

[Soon2BChixMom]

Hello..Duck Hens Quack loud. Not much you can do to stop the quacking either. Muscovy are not loud like Mallard derived breeds.

My muscovies are pretty quiet unless they get pinched or feather grabbed - then they put out a goose like honking sound.

 

[Mudbillkisses]

I'm guessing she wants ducklings! I had one that honked at me (and anyone that got within 10 feet of the coop) for 2 months or so starting in spring (breeding season). She settled down eventually.

I hope so!! She's not acting broody otherwise. It's almost August and she's still going strong. It's like she wants attention and is annoyed with our presence all at once.

 

[Mudbillkisses]

Muscovy are a total different genus of duck, so the Ancona literally has no one to talk to in duck language. The muscovy is quiet, so she obviously can't squawk about it.

I never thought of that. You think having a muscovy as her only duck companion is a real factor? Lucy trills and high pitch whines and pants but doesn't, of course, do the traditional quacking. They seem to understand each other but I have never had this duck combination of breeds... It's always been Mallard derived breeds. Interesting. I'm not sure what to do about this. If I knew it would solve the problem, I'd definitely consider getting another duck.

 

[Mudbillkisses]

Hello..Duck Hens Quack loud. Not much you can do to stop the quacking either. Muscovy are not loud like Mallard derived breeds.

This is beyond loud...it's yelling and consistent and often and triggered by us and possibly feeding time. It's like once she starts she takes a long time to calm down. I've had Cayugas and pekins all hens and never had this issue... Always two females at a time. I'm wondering if it's her breed and/or the fact that she imprinted.

 

[Mudbillkisses]

She might be alone and lonely so I guess the if you take a drake she would be fine

She was definitely quiet when I had a muscovy drake around... So quiet because he was raping her constantly it wasn't good for her. I would need to have more females around to introduce a drake. She "mates" with Lucy on a regular basis.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe just more females? My Buffs get set off if they lose their flock of Runners and 1 more buff they really thrive on that interaction from the flock.

Do you keep food out for them all the time during the day?

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I never thought of that. You think having a muscovy as her only duck companion is a real factor? Lucy trills and high pitch whines and pants but doesn't, of course, do the traditional quacking. They seem to understand each other but I have never had this duck combination of breeds... It's always been Mallard derived breeds. Interesting. I'm not sure what to do about this. If I knew it would solve the problem, I'd definitely consider getting another duck.

From what I have read, I think it is a possibility. I only have muscovies. But, have read when you have them and another group of ducks - both groups will stay in their own group and not intermingle much. Because they are two different genuses they really can't communicate as all of their communication is different even if slightly.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I never thought of that. You think having a muscovy as her only duck companion is a real factor? Lucy trills and high pitch whines and pants but doesn't, of course, do the traditional quacking. They seem to understand each other but I have never had this duck combination of breeds... It's always been Mallard derived breeds. Interesting. I'm not sure what to do about this. If I knew it would solve the problem, I'd definitely consider getting another duck.

I would like to add, if you get another mallard derived duck, you should also get another muscovy. Otherwise, she will be the odd one out.
May I ask how long you keep your ducks?

 

[Mudbillkisses]

Maybe just more females? My Buffs get set off if they lose their flock of Runners and 1 more buff they really thrive on that interaction from the flock.

Do you keep food out for them all the time during the day?

That makes sense...I don't have a big yard so we've always kept with two females. Maybe another domestic Mallard breed would help, but then I could have two loud ducks instead of one? It was never an issue before with just two but Lucy being a muscovy might really matter. I had never considered that before.

We have left food out all day and most recently, only fed pellet food twice per day. When I leave out food all day the squirrels eat a lot of their food. But my ducks have never eaten large quantities at a time, so maybe I could leave it out regatdless of if squirrels are eating a lot of it? They free range during the day so I was hoping that was enough between refills of pellet food.

Thanks for your feedback!!

 

[Mudbillkisses]

I would like to add, if you get another mallard derived duck, you should also get another muscovy. Otherwise, she will be the odd one out.
May I ask how long you keep your ducks?

That makes sense but I cant keep 4 ducks. They are backyard pets. I have a relatively small yard, plenty big enough for two ducks, but 4 would be pushing it. I have been raising ducks for 7 years. Ducks aren't new to me but this particular combination of ducks is new...it's been 3 years with Persi (Ancona) and two years with Lucy. Persi's biological sister (we hatched both of them) died from egg binding when we were away for a weekend. Our poor duck sitter never saw it coming. We had the opportunity to get Lucy at 2 days old from a local farm so that persi would have a companion. Persi slept inside with us and even came to work with me for a time so she wouldn't be lonely while Lucy got bigger (we had three other muscovies but they were all males so we found them good homes when they got bigger and Lucy and Persi could stay together).