Scotty.
I keep chickens and ducks together, because I live on land the size of a
postage stamp (one-tenth of an acre) and with the house, chicken shed
and garage taking up the space, I have a small run for the chickens and
ducks. Right now, we have an outside rooster that is really great, and
he also calls to the ducks when it is feeding time. Eggolas' best buddy
was a little male call duck named Rumor, which we lost to a coon two
summers ago.
If I were you and I did get Muscovies again, I would keep them separate
from the chickens for two reasons: One, because male Muscovies can get
aggressive towards other male birds, and Two, because ducks are messier
than chickens by far. Also, it is a good thing that you won't get
thirty -Muscovies, because the females are broody, and they lay a LOT of
eggs in a clutch (say, about 18-21 eggs in a clutch). My father-in-law
had a bunch of Muscovies by the end of the second year of having them,
and his son got rid of them.
Muscovies are more related to geese than they are ducks, and can catch
some of the diseases that geese catch - I lost my last three to
something that didn't affect the other two ducks, which are a Pekin and
a Blue Swede. Two things I do like about Muscovies, is that they are
personable to people and that they are smart. Oh, and the mothers are
such good mothers that if you take care of their eggs daily, that they
will bite you and cry pitifully if you take their eggs - and they can
wing-whip you pretty good while you are "stealing" their eggs from them.
Sorry I sound negative about the Muscovies on most part, but that is my
experience with them. Muscovies are great egg layers, can go broody at
the drop of a hat. I would have to think long and hard again if I
wanted to get more, and if I did, I would keep them separate from the
other birds. That would be the only thing I would do different if I had
Muscovies again.
I did have a male and female brother and sister pair that was raised
from Day One with chickens and other ducks, and they were pretty
respectful of the other chickens and ducks., but very shy with me.
Best wishes with your Muscovies.
Anita B.
CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
No comments:
Post a Comment