Will Muscovys breed with my mallards?

[Mamabear28]

So i got 13muscovy ducklings. I am thinking of keeping 3-4 girls and one boy. I do have lots of mallard type ducks and don't wanna have cross speieces since i plan on selling their babies next year. So my question is has anyone one ever have mallards and muscovy ducks together and not have them breed? I do free range my ducks on a big pound with lots of woods so not like their be cagged together.

 

[lazy gardener]

To my knowledge, Muscovy are a different species and can not cross with common ducks.

 

[sourland]

To my knowledge, Muscovy are a different species and can not cross with common ducks.

They can cross with mallard and mallard derived breeds, but any offspring will be sterile. In my experience when there are enough hens of their breeds they have not crossed. I did have one instance when a mallard drake decided that one of the muscovies was 'his girl' and formed a pair bond with her.

 

[lazy gardener]

I stand corrected. Thanks Sour!!! Kind of like a feathered mule, huh???

 

[Mamabear28]

They can cross with mallard and mallard derived breeds, but any offspring will be sterile. In my experience when there are enough hens of their breeds they have not crossed. I did have one instance when a mallard drake decided that one of the muscovies was 'his girl' and formed a pair bond with her.

Thanks how many muscovies females should be kept to males if you know? I know for mallards its 5 to 1 (i have 11 ducks and 2 drake) but do not know of muscovies are the same

 

[sourland]

I always kept 4 or 5 hens to every Muscovy drake. They do not seem to form pair bonds.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

They can cross with mallard and mallard derived breeds, but any offspring will be sterile.

They are not always sterile, though. I've seen ducks with "a little bit of muscovy" in them. Hence, ducks with mule duck ancestry.

 

[Poultrylord]

They are ducks, so yes. The offspring though will be infertile.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

They are ducks, so yes.

Are you saying that all different duck species can interbreed?

 

[ANightPerson]

They are not always sterile, though. I've seen ducks with "a little bit of muscovy" in them. Hence, ducks with mule duck ancestry.

This is due to Haldane's rule. The males (since they have two same sex chromosomes) are likely to be a bit more fertile than the females.