Muscovy
Ducks
A SAD SITUATION
Since the late 1970s, we have raised muscovy ducks for
pleasure and sale. However, we have discontinued muscovy duck breeding for
commercial purposes. Over the years, we have received numerous reactions
to this muscovy duck web page. Therefore we decided to maintain the page
to provide information on muscovy ducks and let people know how nice and
adaptable they are.
A Duck You Will Like
Muscovy ducks are a most adaptable and hardy type of
domesticated ducks. They originate in South America, but are now found on
homesteads, small farms and private properties all over the world. You
will even find them in villages in the dry Sahelian zone in Africa, where
they survive without special care and with a minimum of water. If you want
to see what they look like, please click on the thumbnails.
Muscovies have several uses:
- They are excellent for pond decoration and will help insect control.
In this application, a minimum of two hens (females) for one
drake (male) is recommended.
- When adopted young and treated well, they become inseparable pets
for whom they have bonded to.
- They are a source of delicious and wholesome meat with little or no
intramuscular fat. Muscovy meat is red like beef and full of flavor.
It can be prepared in many ways for a gourmet meal, but, please, don't
fry them
They are friendly, non aggressive, excellent brooders and breeders and
they are beautiful!
How To Care For Them
If you acquire muscovies as a pet or for pond decoration, you will have
to take care of them. They are largely independent, but they are
domesticated animals and they need some care.
First, they need a water source. They are ducks after all and
before anything else. A pond or creek is ideal, but they are also happy
with a tub if it is cleaned regularly. But since for most of us cleaning a
duck tub is not a favorite pastime, a natural water source is best.
Secondly, they need some food. In summer, they take largely care
of themselves in most environments (although it is wise to give them even then some food to
keep them attached to your place), but in winter, they need your help.
Adult ducks are happy with corn, cracked or whole, which most farm stores
sell for around $6-8 per bag of 50 pounds. If you have ducklings (baby
ducks), they do well on what is often sold as Grower Ration. These are non-medicated
crumbs. Be careful not to feed muscovies medicated feed containing
antibiotics.
Thirdly, they need protection. For adult ducks, the fox and
weasel are the biggest enemy. These dig under fences and cages to get at
your delicacies. A low electric fence is effective. But the best
protection is a pond, preferably with open banks or some island (e.g. a
floating log) in the middle. Even then one has to be careful when the pond
freezes over.
If you have ducklings, protection is even more essential. There are a
host of predators that will 
eat
a young duckling: crows, snapping turtles, owls, large fish, snakes, rats
and more. Take as an example a mother duck, which headed for our pond with
five ducklings in tow. The next day, she had only four, the day after that
only two, the following day only one. A few days later none were alive.
Once they are 6 weeks old, however, they have a much better chance to
survive when left to roam free.
How To Get Muscovy Ducks
