The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: lord flynn on January 10, 2015, 08:06:20 pm
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Although I am not convinced I can eat a duck I've seen grow up-would this be a good cross as a table bird? Are regular sized apple yard ducks big enough for a muscovy drake? And do muscovies mix with non-muscovies or are they a breed apart? (I know that Muscovy crosses are mules-I seem to be a rescue duck magnet atm, if they would mix alright I could just keep her for eggs).
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I don't know much about muscovies but I keep LF Appleyards and they're pretty big ducks so they'd be a fine match size wise. Also they're a good size table on their own so I'm sure they'd produce a good size between them. The only thing I'm not sure about is the effect of the two different origins of the birds and the fact that Muscovy is not a 'true' duck but id sounds like you have more experience of that.
I find the drakes much easier to eat (i.e. kill!) than the ducks - once you've seen enough drakes molesting a duck, you know you have to act! Not quite so easy as cockerels when they become really annoying but doable.....especially if you're prepared yourself from the outset that they will be dinner one day.
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we use to have a pair of muscovies amongst a flock of free range campbells. I never saw them interbreed but maybe they will in confinement. Muscovy crosses are supposed to be sterile. muscovies are very good eating.
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I was told that Muscovy Crosses where infertile and the one time our Muscovy duck hatched crosses out (Muscovy Duck x Saxony Drake )we never got a fertile egg from the offspring
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I was told that Muscovy Crosses where infertile and the one time our Muscovy duck hatched crosses out (Muscovy Duck x Saxony Drake )we never got a fertile egg from the offspring
yes-infertile (mules ;) ). Thanks all-I agree about culling the drakes and certainly don't want more than one long term, the hens are just lovely but the boy-not so much!