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

Thursday, January 24, 2013

RE: [CHICKENS-101] Muscovy ducks

I loved hearing your stories. I had a couple of
mallards for a while. I loved to hear them walking by
and quacking. They just lived in my yard with the
chickens. The male mallard was so funny, he had to
mount ALL the girls, yes, poor chickens, even them. I
kept expecting duckins, or chucks, or some strange
mix! LOL. I know mallards can fly, but they never
left. I filled a child's swimming pool with water and
they loved swimming in, even small as it was.

I had the same sad ending with a dog in my yard and
all my chickens and the two ducks not only dead, but
mutilated. I was devastated. They never knew to run
as I had a Labrador who never chased them.

I really miss hearing their ever cheerful quacking
noises..

From: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Straight
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2013 2:04 PM
Subject: 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.