The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: GribinIsaf on July 25, 2018, 10:12:33 pm
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For historical reasons that are too complicated to go into here we have one poultry run that contains one Muscovy duck, two Muscovy drakes, two Aylesbury ducks and five hens.
A while ago the Muscovy went broody and we let her sit even though she only had a couple of eggs. Adjusting for incubation times we did also give her some eggs from out Cayuga flock. We did not have high expectations of this arrangement because, among other things, her eggs were mistakenly collected at one point when she seemed to have moved them to another part of the house and only returned to her a day later.
Anyway, today she has one Muscovy hatching beneath her - maybe another will follow.
The reason I am posting is to get opinions on whether this Muscovy and her duckling(s?) will be ok in situ or if they are at risk from (a) the drakes or (b) the hens - who do like to chase a mouse.
Thank you for any wisdom.
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I would think the ducklings are pretty vulnerable - at least for the first week until they are a bit more robust and have enough sense to get out of the way. I have just had some peachicks hatch out and had to put them + peahen in the hen run for a week or so while I get another run sorted out. The hens did start pecking the chicks, as did some of the other peafowl, so I had to somehow separate them for a few days. The other birds don't bother the chicks now (a week later). I think partly because they have got used to them, and also because the chicks now have enough sense to keep away.