What are your thoughts?

[Jbently28]

Our town has a chicken swap that is held once a month from Spring through the Fall. I had just recently found out about this past winter. Last month was the first show, but my husband and I skipped it due to a storm that was coming in. I've been following their facebook page for months now and am super excited with the vendor selection they are having this Saturday. I can't think of a better time to expand my flock. As of right now, I have khaki campbells and welsh harlequins. I'm thinking of adding some Ancona, black swedish, and runners to the mix. I've also considered some muscovies. My ducks free range with my chickens during the day and are housed separately at night. I have absolutely no experience with muscovies and was wondering if they would do well with my chickens. I know they can be flighty, so I've already prepared myself to clip their wings if I do get them.

 

[autumn_g]

I have Muscovys and absolutely love them. Yes mine were flighty in the beginning. When I let them out if they got spooked they would fly. So I kept them in their pen for a couple months, I thought I was going to have to clip their wings and was dreading it. But now they trust us and know this is their home and it's safe. We now let them out everyday wings unclipped and they haven't flown away!

 

[Jbently28]

I have Muscovys and absolutely love them. Yes mine were flighty in the beginning. When I let them out if they got spooked they would fly. So I kept them in their pen for a couple months, I thought I was going to have to clip their wings and was dreading it. But now they trust us and know this is their home and it's safe. We now let them out everyday wings unclipped and they haven't flown away!

At about what age did they start flying? There are going to be vendors at the swap with ducklings and juveniles. I just want to have time to build an enclosure for them if need be. We have a 6 foot privacy fence around our coops at the moment to keep predators out at night.

 

[Roo5]

Here is my experience.Muscovies seem to be great ducks, maybe my experience was trash but they are way more aggressive then most breeds from what i see.I have went on YouTube and searched Muscovies and have found relentless videos of the males fighting each other, dogs and etc.I had to keep mine separate from my runners and and young hens because they would rape and fight them.Aggressive breeding is one thing but they were way more intense and defiantly bullying.It caused lots of controversy bewtween the runner drakes and Muscovy ducks .The ducks are beautiful but those attitudes are outta control.On a side note they tried killing our chickens as well.They seem to be well with humans but from reading and watching videos they don’t do so well with other poultry.But, being as I’ve owned only three(2 drakes and a hen),which could have been the reason they were so outta sorts,and that was my ONLY experience,maybe someone else can come with more experience.

 

[autumn_g]

Here is my experience.Muscovies seem to be great ducks, maybe my experience was trash but they are way more aggressive then most breeds from what i see.I have went on YouTube and searched Muscovies and have found relentless videos of the males fighting each other, dogs and etc.I had to keep mine separate from my runners and and young hens because they would rape and fight them.Aggressive breeding is one thing but they were way more intense and defiantly bullying.It caused lots of controversy bewtween the runner drakes and Muscovy ducks .The ducks are beautiful but those attitudes are outta control.On a side note they tried killing our chickens as well.They seem to be well with humans but from reading and watching videos they don’t do so well with other poultry.But, being as I’ve owned only three(2 drakes and a hen),which could have been the reason they were so outta sorts,and that was my ONLY experience,maybe someone else can come with more experience.

I have 3 drakes and 5 hens, 2 dogs and 2 cats. None of the ducks mess with my other animals. Yes breeding is kinda rough especially when there's not enough hens. 2 of my drakes have to be separated right now because its constant fighting, they are the 2 lesser dominant drakes. They can both be with my dominant drake Elvis but they can not be around each other.

 

[autumn_g]

At about what age did they start flying? There are going to be vendors at the swap with ducklings and juveniles. I just want to have time to build an enclosure for them if need be. We have a 6 foot privacy fence around our coops at the moment to keep predators out at night.

I'm not sure what age they start flying, I got mine when they were about 6-8 months old. They knew how to fly when I got them.

 

[Jbently28]

Here is my experience.Muscovies seem to be great ducks, maybe my experience was trash but they are way more aggressive then most breeds from what i see.I have went on YouTube and searched Muscovies and have found relentless videos of the males fighting each other, dogs and etc.I had to keep mine separate from my runners and and young hens because they would rape and fight them.Aggressive breeding is one thing but they were way more intense and defiantly bullying.It caused lots of controversy bewtween the runner drakes and Muscovy ducks .The ducks are beautiful but those attitudes are outta control.On a side note they tried killing our chickens as well.They seem to be well with humans but from reading and watching videos they don’t do so well with other poultry.But, being as I’ve owned only three(2 drakes and a hen),which could have been the reason they were so outta sorts,and that was my ONLY experience,maybe someone else can come with more experience.

Yeah I've heard some of the same stories about the drakes. That's one thing that had made me kind of nervous. I only have 1 rooster and one drake at the moment who get along great. I would hate to mess with the harmony we have going on. I also have 3 kids that like to go out and pet the chickens and ducks every day.

 

[Roo5]

Maybe invest in just hens?

 

[Jbently28]

Unfortunately, all of the muscovies at the swap will be straight run. I may have to do that at a later time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Muscovy’s and chickens sleep in the same coop my drake never messes with the chickens unless one gets into his space then tail feathers get grabbed. My female Muscovys roost next to my chickens. I have Runner ducks and Buff Orpington ducks My Scovy drake has never even trie to mate with one my Runner drake is after the scovy girls a lot .