Suzy Muscovy is a chocolate and white Muscovy duck. She is smaller than the other females and half the size of the drake, but is very quiet and pretty. The Muscovy duck breed hails from South America, so they need more protection in the winter than the Mallard derived breeds from North America. A draft free building with a lot of straw on the ground so the bitter cold does not come through is absolutely necessary. Drakes have large red caruncles or outcroppings on their noses and eyes and they are prone to freezing, like the large combs of a chicken. Female Muscovy ducks can be as heavy as eight pounds and males as much as ten, though that is the top side for them. They lay less eggs than other duck breeds, but are excellent mothers and will set on a clutch as many as three times a year, hatching their own little ones. When small, the ducklings require protection for arial predators, such as hawks and ravens and from cats and dogs, foxes, coyotes, weasels and whatever other predators are in the area, so they are best kept in an enclosure until they are half grown. The mother duck is very protective of her babies, but she cannot keep them safe from those predators all the time.
Muscovy ducks do not quack, but instead, whisper as though they have laryngitis. They make great city ducks for that reason, because they won't disturb the neighbours, however; they are good flyers. Wings can be clipped to keep them on the ground, though if they are well fed and have enough space they will always come home and not stray far. Suzy sat on eggs with another Muscovy for a long time last summer. The two ducks fought over the nest and often pushed the eggs out, which caused them to get cold and none hatched. Jemimah duck sat on eggs and did not hatch any either, but her sister hatched a couple of babies. The drake that is here is the only survivor. This year, I will take the babies when they are hatched and put them in a covered shelter until they are bigger, so they have an excellent chance of growing up. Muscovies can be quite friendly if they are treated well and the handler frequently is among them. Most do not like to be picked up and they do have long claws and a sharp tip on their beaks, plus extremely strong wings, so they can do some real damage to human skin if they feel threatened. Muscovy eggs are larger than any of the other duck breed eggs, though they lay fewer in a season. The meat of a Muscovy is all dark and not fatty at all, even on the dry side. There is twice as much breast meat than on a standard North American meat duck breed, such as a Pekin, but they take twice as long to raise to slaughter age. Muscovy ducks make the best pest control squad too, eating their weight in flies and bugs if given a chance. They do like vegetables too, so they can quickly eat the tender plants in a garden and are best kept out until the garden is well matured. The Fat Ewe Farm has three ducks and one drake of the Muscovy breed and hopes to have little ones for sale this summer if the mammas do the hatching. They are a great addition to a homestead, whether it is a city lot or a farm, those wonderful Muscovies!
Muscovy ducks do not quack, but instead, whisper as though they have laryngitis. They make great city ducks for that reason, because they won't disturb the neighbours, however; they are good flyers. Wings can be clipped to keep them on the ground, though if they are well fed and have enough space they will always come home and not stray far. Suzy sat on eggs with another Muscovy for a long time last summer. The two ducks fought over the nest and often pushed the eggs out, which caused them to get cold and none hatched. Jemimah duck sat on eggs and did not hatch any either, but her sister hatched a couple of babies. The drake that is here is the only survivor. This year, I will take the babies when they are hatched and put them in a covered shelter until they are bigger, so they have an excellent chance of growing up. Muscovies can be quite friendly if they are treated well and the handler frequently is among them. Most do not like to be picked up and they do have long claws and a sharp tip on their beaks, plus extremely strong wings, so they can do some real damage to human skin if they feel threatened. Muscovy eggs are larger than any of the other duck breed eggs, though they lay fewer in a season. The meat of a Muscovy is all dark and not fatty at all, even on the dry side. There is twice as much breast meat than on a standard North American meat duck breed, such as a Pekin, but they take twice as long to raise to slaughter age. Muscovy ducks make the best pest control squad too, eating their weight in flies and bugs if given a chance. They do like vegetables too, so they can quickly eat the tender plants in a garden and are best kept out until the garden is well matured. The Fat Ewe Farm has three ducks and one drake of the Muscovy breed and hopes to have little ones for sale this summer if the mammas do the hatching. They are a great addition to a homestead, whether it is a city lot or a farm, those wonderful Muscovies!
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