Wild Muscovy Duck Question

[Eddie4paws]

Hi. I live in a semi-urban area of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There is a lot of heavy road traffic in front of my townhouse. There is a lake adjacent to my development and there is a large Muscovy duck population. This past Friday evening one of the neighborhood ducks has laid about 9 eggs inside a window planter that is within my wooden fenced-in patio. The planter is sitting atop of a patio table directly under my bedroom window. I don't know much about duck behavior although this past year I had begun feeding them with wild birdseed and found that 1) Muscovy Ducks love to eat 2) they have a great network and work gets out quickly that there's a buffet nearby and 3) they love to poop. My feeding the ducks became a hazard for them as they were getting struck by cars. I could no longer continue baiting them to their deaths so I stopped feeding them. I did enjoy watching them (and the babies) and have missed taking care of them. Back to Momma duck- she is attentive and is atop of her eggs day & night. She is used to my cats who watch her from their window perches. She knows me as she's been visiting me for several months and have checked out the window planter a couple of times before (without putting down any eggs). I've put out fresh water & bird seed inside my patio for her. My fear is an abandoned cat who I have been feeding when I see him on my patio. I've not seen him since the Momma Duck laid her eggs. I know this cat to be aggressive however in his old age he may have mellowed out, but I'm not sure. He used to attack my dog (a German Shepherd however my dog passed away 3 years ago).
How can I protect the eggs from the cat and perhaps a possum that I've also seen on my patio? I probably have more questions but I'll begin with this. I really appreciate any and all information. .

 

[GldnValleyHens]

Unless the eggs are in a coop, or the cat contained, there is a chance of the eggs being eaten by a possum, and the mama by the cat or a possum. My cats ignore my ducks, but who knows? I think wild animals would be a bigger threat than an elderly cat. As she is wild, and I am guessing you have no coop, it seems she is on her own, unless you can build a pen around her without startling her off? Maybe it is best to leave it to Nature? Hope Momma Muscovy hatches her babies!

 

[Eddie4paws]

Unless the eggs are in a coop, or the cat contained, there is a chance of the eggs being eaten by a possum, and the mama by the cat or a possum. My cats ignore my ducks, but who knows? I think wild animals would be a bigger threat than an elderly cat. As she is wild, and I am guessing you have no coop, it seems she is on her own, unless you can build a pen around her without startling her off? Maybe it is best to leave it to Nature? Hope Momma Muscovy hatches her babies!

Thank you for your reply and your good wishes. Correct- I have no coop. I suppose I have to leave this nature. It breaks my heart because these creatures are outside of my control and ability to care for their fate. Last year I was feeding some momma & baby ducks and each day there were fewer ducklings. It made me so sad.

If I was to move the planter to a location that was safer-not sure where yet- would the mother still sit on her eggs? Also- maybe unrelated- there is a second nest with a Momma on the eggs right outside my neighbor’s fence. Could one male duck be the “Baby Daddy“ of both clutches? Thank you for your time.

 

[CarleeAnn]

Thank you for your reply and your good wishes. Correct- I have no coop. I suppose I have to leave this nature. It breaks my heart because these creatures are outside of my control and ability to care for their fate. Last year I was feeding some momma & baby ducks and each day there were fewer ducklings. It made me so sad.

If I was to move the planter to a location that was safer-not sure where yet- would the mother still sit on her eggs? Also- maybe unrelated- there is a second nest with a Momma on the eggs right outside my neighbor’s fence. Could one male duck be the “Baby Daddy“ of both clutches? Thank you for your time.

I wouldn’t take it into your own hands to move the nest. You could however call wildlife control or a local rehabber who is trained to relocate the momma along with the eggs to a safe and more appropriate area. Best of luck!

And for sure the male could have mated with both females, ducks are very hormonal!

 

[Miss Lydia]

What is going to happen when mama takes her babies across that busy street to the lake? Florida has awful laws about Muscovies since they consider them an invasive species, I doubt wildlife would do anything they would probably be happy to see them all smashed by cars. Now an experienced rehabber maybe able to help if you can find one. Check your local area on line and see what you can come up with. I would def stop feeding them so they can avoid being killed by crossing the street. If you want to feed go across to their side of the road. close to the water. I'd say unless you have a way of closing mama scovy up with her eggs once you move her and them she may give up. I have successfully moved my scovy females that are brooding but I have a way to close them up for a few days till they get use to the new safer area.

Welcome to BYC and thank you for your caring concern for these ducks, I love my Muscovies.

 

[Eddie4paws]

I wouldn’t take it into your own hands to move the nest. You could however call wildlife control or a local rehabber who is trained to relocate the momma along with the eggs to a safe and more appropriate area. Best of luck!

And for sure the male could have mated with both females, ducks are very hormonal!

Thanks for your response. I do have a call into one local duck rescue. She only rescues injured ducks however she may be able to offer advice. I do want to save their blessed little lives.

 

[Eddie4paws]

What is going to happen when mama takes her babies across that busy street to the lake? Florida has awful laws about Muscovies since they consider them an invasive species, I doubt wildlife would do anything they would probably be happy to see them all smashed by cars. Now an experienced rehabber maybe able to help if you can find one. Check your local area on line and see what you can come up with. I would def stop feeding them so they can avoid being killed by crossing the street. If you want to feed go across to their side of the road. close to the water. I'd say unless you have a way of closing mama scovy up with her eggs once you move her and them she may give up. I have successfully moved my scovy females that are brooding but I have a way to close them up for a few days till they get use to the new safer area.

Welcome to BYC and thank you for your caring concern for these ducks, I love my Muscovies.

Thank you Miss Lydia for your good thoughts and advice. The adjacent lake is within my development and they don't cross a major roadway however they do have to cross the street within my development. Drivers don't always obey the 10 MPH (which was previously 20 MPH and I fought with the Board of Directors for it to be dropped down to 10 MPH). When I called the local wildlife last year they suggested that I feed the ducks by the lake. So- I took the birdseed to the lake with all the ducks following me- and after they ate they returned to my townhouse. These ducks knew my car and when they saw my car pull into my parking space they would all run over to me (usually about 30 ducks). They used to follow me to the mailbox and would wait outside my door. Some of my neighbors were put off by the duck poop and thought it was creepy that there were about 30 ducks hovering in the grass by my door. I loved them so much but it just wasn't safe for them.

I do have a call in to the local duck rescue however she only rescues injured ducks. I'll see what she says.

The good news is that I haven't seen Milo (the abandoned cat) around for several days. His owner had numerous inside/outside cats however she lost her townhouse and was foreclosed by the bank. When she left, she only took 2 of her cats and left the others behind. Several neighbors have been feeding the abandoned cats who wait by the door of their old home. It really is so sad.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

What is going to happen when mama takes her babies across that busy street to the lake? Florida has awful laws about Muscovies since they consider them an invasive species, I doubt wildlife would do anything they would probably be happy to see them all smashed by cars. Now an experienced rehabber maybe able to help if you can find one. Check your local area on line and see what you can come up with. I would def stop feeding them so they can avoid being killed by crossing the street. If you want to feed go across to their side of the road. close to the water. I'd say unless you have a way of closing mama scovy up with her eggs once you move her and them she may give up. I have successfully moved my scovy females that are brooding but I have a way to close them up for a few days till they get use to the new safer area.

Welcome to BYC and thank you for your caring concern for these ducks, I love my Muscovies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is very sad. But at least they are being fed. Sounds like you have a good friendship going with your Muscovies. Yes the poop can be gross I always say my hose is my best friend.
Hopefully the rescue can help I feel so bad for the Muscovies in Fla and other states where populations are so large. It's not their fault they have been abandoned or left to fly off and populate we need more responsible owners to begin with. Only in Texas and that I believe is only one county where they are protected and considered migratory. We have a small group of feral muscovies here but to keep mine from flying off they get their wing trimmed living on a mt river is just too big a temptation. I don't want to lose them. Or have it ever become where they are hated like other places.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

Florida has invasive peacock numbers too don't it? And boa constrictors. And Alligators.. Glad I don't live there. I wouldn't mind the peacocks. I loooove them