How to raise Backyard Chickens: Re: [CHICKENS-101] Muscovy ducks

Launch codes----that's funny!!

All you had to do was ask.

I had Muscovies for several years. Every summer mama made her nest under the motorhome, and sat there for 4 weeks while papa stood guard right in front of it the whole time.

Not too bad a place, well sheltered, dark and quiet, can see out through the grass and weeds in all directions. Of course we couldn't use it, but ---oh well.

If they are contained, just a wood box maybe 3 or 4 ft. square, more or less will do. One for each female. They're ducks, but Muscovies don't "need" water, except to drink and clean their faces. Might want a little height to it so she can stand up and walk out, they're big ducks. I'd go with wood or something, she might sit there and eat cardboard.

She made her own nest with hay and feathers. They do need some protection though. 4 weeks is a long time to sit in one place on a nest. That's what happened to mine, something got her one year the day the babies were due to hatch. I went out to check and there was nothing except a few feathers. Something else was watching, and probably heard the peeping too.

Papa was devastated. They do mate for life pretty much. He mourned her all the rest of the summer, moped, made noises, searched, didn't eat, it was very plain to see. He was pathetic. Survivor guilt. Finally one day he walked all the way down the driveway-----which he never did before----and out in front of a car. Suicide.

And naturally they came up to tell me about it and apologize, he was as big as a goose.

I was just hoping it didn't dent their car too much, so I explained all about him. They felt so sorry for the big duck they never said anything about the car. And I had to figure out what to do with Papa Muscovy! I think we finally buried him over there with the dogs.

By the way, they'll have a lot of baby ducks, and the ducklings may not be ready to swim right away. Muscovies are not exactly ducks, at least not in the same family as the rest of them. They have those long claws, can fly (until they get too heavy), and like to sit in trees or perch on something. And don't need water to mate.

I had some in the chicken yard one time, came home from church to find a dog inside, the chickens pretty well dead and the Muscovies all missing.

Later that day a couple of the younger ducks came walking home. Every day that week another one or two showed up. About Saturday, here comes the big old male, walking home, up the driveway, on very sore and beat up feet. Obviously they flew away, but it must have been quite a ways, they're good gliders, and every one came back. Poor guy, we put him in a box in the house, babied him and doctored his feet for days. We were simply amazed to see that duck come walking home after a whole week!

Hope you enjoy my stories,
Diane S.

----- Original Message -----
From: lisandennissharp
To: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2013 3:18 PM
Subject: [CHICKENS-101] Muscovy ducks

Anyone happen to also be an expert on Muscovy ducks? I have a drake and 3 hens at pond on our farm and want to build a hutch for laying eggs. You would think I'm asking for launch codes as I just can't seem to find good info on sizes of the hutch, over water or over land, opening sizes, etc. Help if you can.....