The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: lord flynn on August 16, 2014, 08:52:34 pm
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I know they can and do fly, how likely are they to bugger off? All go my poultry can easily fly in/out of their pen but stay within the stock fence and wall around the property-just wondering if muscovies would do the same or whether they would likely be more adventurous.
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The ones l had could fly over the out buildings , land with a bump on their chest, not very graceful :roflanim:
They dont quack, they hiss. Real characters though. A pleasure to keep :thumbsup:
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I got 4 from Goosepimple and they flew off down to the river where foxy picked them off one by one :'(
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I should pm Goosepimple again I think (sorry about your ducks DM).
I seem to have rescued a young, probably male muscovy. Long story-I don't physically have him yet. I've wanted ducks for a long time and had a few false starts. I love muscovies but had sort of decided they weren't for me and my set up. Now I am wondering if I can make it alright for them-safe enclosure with a roost etc plus free ranging when I am about (and whether that would be good enough for them). I could just do without them visiting neighbouring farmland. Maybe it would be better to just have another male and have them as pets,I would really only ever have room for 3/4 tops-but was hankering after ducklings :innocent:
I don't much care for wing clipping and was wondering that if they had everything they wanted where they were at, if they want to go elsewhere-as I said, my poultry do not stray-even when Gollum is not paying attention and the Scots Greys and Minorcas are not bad fliers.
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also, with young ducks that don't know much else-how easy would they be to train to come in to an enclosure? I had a couple of drakes as pets as a kid and they were like dogs (a huge KC and a aylesbury-not the same I know but have heard Muscovies are intelligent).
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We had lilac Muscovies a few years back - beautiful. We started with Alice and Lachy and soon had loads of ducklings, as the ducks are good mothers. Once the lads reached the age of gang bangs they went into the freezer. The young ones love to swim, but the drakes are less keen as they get older.
The youngsters can fly well, but ours didn't tend to fly off. Alice and all her daughters however could fly very well. If she was being chased by a drake she would fly towards a fence, then lift over it at the very last minute - the drake would crash into the fence and the duck would go on her merry way - all very deliberate.
The ducks however did fly over the boundary fences and hedges, something our hens never do. A couple of them laid clutches away - we didn't see them again. They can't be all that bright because although they would fly to get out, they would want to walk back and couldn't work out how to get through the fence.
They would fly up onto our barn roof (it's a single storey) then down into our flower garden - grr!
The most hilarious thing was watching the drakes getting into the veggie garden. It was surrounded by 2 metre windbreak mesh and they used their claws to climb steadily to the top then belly flop down to the ground. The ducks just flew over.
The ducks fly well enough to do a circuit 20' above the ground, but the drakes soon become too heavy.
Ours were trained to be herded into bed at night. They never went in on their own but would let us guide them with two long canes held to either side of the group.
One night half a dozen young drakes refused to go to bed, so they ended up staying out all night. Next morning there were half a dozen mangled corpses festooned across the pastures.
They fetch a fair amount in the sales if you're lucky.
In the end we got fed up with the endless gang bangs and all the c3@p wherever we stood, so we sold them off in trios and ate the rest of the drakes. We do miss them though - wonderful characters.
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thankyou Fleecewife, thats a great help :)
hmm, I am not sure this is a good idea long term now, it would mean wing clipping and keeping in an enclosure and not sure it would suit this breed of duck :(
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Wing clipping also means they can't get away from the fox. I think they would become extremely miserable in a pen, so maybe best to wait.
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We have a Drake here that seems to really wander or should I say Fly. We shut him in on a night but he has been spotted a few times a good mile down the river, he always comes back on a night for Bed though.
I have learnt to DUCK :innocent: when I see him flying home ::)
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this youngster is not in a great situation and the rescuer has had no other takers (not surprising for a lone drake let I guess). I expect I am more worried about them taking up residence at the trout hatchery up the road! and of course foxes. I don't know what to do now.
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Take this one lad and see how it goes. He should get on well enough with your hens. If things work well with him then get him a companion. Muscovies are a bit like pigs in that you can share your woes with them and they always listen ;D With no ducks to chase, maybe he'll not realise he can fly.
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I keep mine wing clipped, especially when the ducklings get to the flying stage or mum would take them out for a flight.
When I got my first Muscovy duck out had six ducklings and I didn't bother wing clipping it thinking it wouldn't leave them.
five minutes after I released them into the garden, mum was sitting on the neighbours roof preening herself (two storey house) watching her brood from on high! :innocent:
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oooh, what colour(s) you got Clansman?
ok, I will take him and see how we get on. I am stupid excited ;D
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a bit of a mix ;D
Blacks, whites mostly with a few lavender ones in this years hatch i think. ;D
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Hi,
My Muscovies didn't fly, I've only got the drake left now, he is so big he can hardly be bothered to walk very far never mind fly, he's always the first in the queue to be put to bed, that's why I've kept him as he is so easy to look after.
Regards
Sue
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I love Muscovies they are the best (along with call ducks!) happy ducks won't fly off so give them food, water and a safe place to take shelter and they will be fine! They breed really easily and I love watching the girls fly around!
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well, am in process of planning my duck house and overnight run. I have a very large pallet crate to convert. I am thinking to bolt on a galvanised mesh run. I am not sure where to place it yet-it wont be very moveable once its finished so some questions:
Is straw ok for bedding inside the crate?
Should I put a low perch in there as well?
If the run were to have a mesh bottom would that be too hard on their feet if on grass?
If the run was on paving slabs, would it be better to put a good layer of sand on top?
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Muscovies will perch, the girls at least love to do this the boys get too fat! The girls also like to nest off of te ground if possible! Mine all have nest boxes about 3 feet off of the ground. It helps them escape the males too who can be total serial rapists!
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thanks roddycm. Can they hop up to a perch like poultry? or do they need to fly up? shell of duck house complete -just needs roof and fixin's :excited:
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The perches are best just above the ground, otherwise the drakes in particular can injure themselves when they jump down.
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:farmer:
Well I have a trio of muscovies and ten of this years that need rehoming urgently because of downsizing. Baldock, South Cambs, Central Beds.
Tel. 07910890460
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excellent, thanks.
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Thats a good idea from fleecewife. Maybe a low perche for the boy would be good! I never did this and my boys just sleep on the floor, I think I'm being a bit sexist haha I will put up some lower perches today!
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beesathome-for some reason your post didnt show up when I posted my last one. I may well be sorted for ducks but I have pm'd you.
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I keep mine wing clipped, especially when the ducklings get to the flying stage or mum would take them out for a flight.
When I got my first Muscovy duck out had six ducklings and I didn't bother wing clipping it thinking it wouldn't leave them.
five minutes after I released them into the garden, mum was sitting on the neighbours roof preening herself (two storey house) watching her brood from on high! :innocent:
They only do that when you first let them out Clansman - they're dying for a fly and a wash and preen, after that they fly back to their young and stay with them, I wouldn't wing clip them.
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well, he's here :) girls to follow shortly (ie as soon as I have the time to collect them). He's currently out with some growers and enjoying more space and a large kangeroo skip full of water.
Now, I am afraid it never occurred to me before that drakes can get as aggressive as cockerels and attack people. I can't imagine a full grown (or even part grown) muscovy drake is much fun if it does this. But I was told last night that it can/does happen. Obviously if it did I would cull (or get someone stronger to do it!) but how likely/common is it?
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Ours were never aggressive, even to each other. Maybe you should wait to cross that bridge if you get to it.
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yeah, sorry-the info came at a bad time as I had to despatch a lovely Scots Grey cockerel last night-first time I have had problems with aggression and I was somewhat :( about it, its normal behaviour afterall. He was also 6months old and the largest I've done and I'm not sure I'd have the strength to do a full size drake! He really was splendid and I had a fab home lined up for him.
So I'll not panic yet :) thankyou.
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Not had an aggressive Muscovy drake yet, they usually either try to waddle out of your way or follow you looking for food! ;D
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good to know :thumbsup: thanks
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we had a pair of muscovies, the drake used to fly only about 6ft up but he was amazing to watch, quite powerful. he couldnt go far though as he was quite heavy. they didnt wander far, he was free range with the geese but the fox took him. :'(
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love my ducks :) they are slowly coming round, even the older lady has decided I am alright. They are still penned as I am undecided whether to wing clip or not.
anyway, I am guessing flubenvet for worming? They don't eat alot of pellets (compared to poultry) and as they are on growers and then probably breeders over the winter, I'll be using the premix. So do I continue the worming beyond the 7 days given they are heavier and eat less pellets? (its such a rubbish way to worm anything its surprising flubendazole resistance isn't rife tbh)