July 10, 2022

Poultry Squabbles

Muscovy ducks are seasonal layers. The two females of our trio were laying well until we lost our drake. After that, they continued to lay eggs for a while and then stopped, which seemed early in the year. Shortly after we got another drake, they started laying again. They chose a corner in the chicken coop, prepared a nest, and started laying there.

Sister (on the left) and Mom (on the right)

The chickens, however, are no respecter of Muscovys, and have not wanted the ducks in their yard. They've been very straightforward about their opinion on the matter, but unfortunately, the Muscovys rejected the two yards we made for them, firmly insisting that they wanted to live in the chicken yard. Even after the chickens attacked Mom and pecked her eye out, the ducks stuck with their determination to stay in the chicken yard. Getting Big Duck (our drake) gave the chickens pause in further attacks, but we really would have felt better if the ducks would consent to their own yard. They didn't. Anyway, it was no surprise when the chickens insisted on laying their eggs in the ducks' nest. We dutifully removed the chicken eggs (and chickens), but for whatever reason, the chickens were determined to take over the nest anyway.

So, this latest squabble began when Mom began to brood the eggs. We were really pleased because we would love to have some ducklings. Then Sister went broody too and joined Mom on the nest (which is a good thing because there are more eggs in it than one duck can keep warm.) 

Wouldn't you know it that one of the Speckled Sussex hens decided to go broody too. Great! We want more chicks too! Except! She insisted on taking over the ducks' nest. This greatly upset the ducks, and no amount of repeatedly removing Mrs. Chicken would deter her. I made a second nest with chicken eggs near the first, but nope. Mrs. Chicken didn't want that nest.

If you've ever dealt with a broody chicken, then you know that they are some of the most tenacious creatures on Gods' green earth. I've tried to break a broody in the past (that story here) with zero success. You just have to let them do their thing, except for us humans, that thing means hatching baby chicks, not ducklings.

We finally put her and some chicken eggs in our dog crate. We gave her food and water, and waited. She fussed about it at first, then finally separated out some eggs and set on them. By the next day, she had accepted all of the eggs. We watched her closely and she seemed content for several days. Finally, she wanted out. Of course we let her, hoping she was now bonded to that clutch of chicken eggs. Even so, we kept an eye on her, to make sure. 

On one of my frequent checks, there was Mrs. Chicken, back on the duck nest! Mom ran out in a huff but this time, Sister was more determined. She rooted her way under Mrs. Chicken and tipped her off the nest! I went into the coop to put her back in the dog crate, but she ran out squawking. On my next check, she was back in the dog crate on her chicken eggs and has returned to them ever since. Sister and Mom are once again sharing the ducks' nest.


Projected hatch dates are July 19th for the chicks and August 2nd for the ducklings.

23 comments:

tpals said...

Good grief! Daft, stubborn birds. My last broody hen this summer pecks hard enough to bruise me through gloves. She's been named Spicy Chicken.

Michael said...

Question please. Are Muscovy's worthwhile aside from an oddity in the henhouse? I enjoy ducks but their messiness with all water around and lack of broodiness makes me wonder how they survived as a species.

Egg production vs feed costs? Foraging ability? I know they are awesome Broodys as some even put their chicken eggs under them.

I've read enough about them to make me curious about getting some.

Thanks for an interesting blog. I wander here often.

Leigh said...

Tpals, there's no doubt about it, chickens are determined to get what they want! lol

Michael, welcome! Thank you for your kind words about my blog and for taking the time to comment. I'll answer your questions best I can, based on my experience.

We love our Muscovys. Yes, they add variety, but we love their personalities as well. They're more polite than chickens. We primarily keep them for meat. Muscovy meat is different from the other breeds of ducks, with a fine texture and flavor. Dan considers it an excellent replacement for beef.

I mentioned that they are seasonal layers, so they aren't useful for a steady year-round egg supply. The eggs are larger than chicken eggs, and when we have them, I especially like them for baking.

I find Muscovys to be very broody. They will raise two or three hatchings of ducklings each summer, if you let them. One year I had so many that I put out an ad on craigslist and gave away two moms and 23 ducklings that very day.

I also find them to be excellent foragers. Our chickens and ducks both get the same feed, but we consider it a supplement because they have pasture, grazing beds, and the compost piles to feed from. Sometimes they don't touch the feed for days. The broody ducks will go to the feeder daily, however, I suppose to save time while they're off the nest.

Muscovys are more land than swimming ducks, so for water, we find that a small kiddie pool or even a large rubbermaid-type feed dish filled with water is adequate to meet their love of bathing. I think swimming ducks require more.

I hope that helps. If you have more questions, please ask. I'm always happy to encourage when I can.

Ed said...

Such a fascinating story to read. I wish you had webcams set up so we could watch the action in our spare time.

Leigh said...

Ed, they are indeed endlessly fascinating creatures! Frustrating at times, but fascinating. One of our hardest lessons learned is that human opinion is of little account. Which means for most things, we had to learn to mind our own business. :)

Jenn Jilks said...

What a time you are having! They sound like 4-year-olds!

Julie said...

I have had very good luck breaking broody hens by putting them in a wire rabbit cage suspended on saw horses, and then periodically spraying cold water with a spray bottle on their tummies from beneath. Usually takes three days.

Cederq said...

Leigh, do you get the feeling you are more baby sitting reticence ducks and chickens then raising them?

Leigh said...

Jenn, critters are very much like toddlers!

Julie, I will definitely have to try that next time I need to break a broody. I don't mind one or two, but we don't have that many chickens!

Kevin, yes! LOL

Tewshooz said...

We had the same problem and put an end to it by partitioning off 1/3 of the coop by framing another wall with poultry wire and door so that each had their own place. Small door to outside with run for ducks. Got stink eye from chicken, but I really don't care. My coop, my rules.

Leigh said...

Tewshooz, ha! Good job. Can't let the chickens win every time, lol.

Henny Penny said...

What a story! I'm telling you! There is no changing a setting hen's mind. You must be worn out dealing with them. Hope you get lots of baby ducks and chicks too.

Leigh said...

Henny, thanks! What's amazing to me is that she wouldn't pay attention to us, but she did to Sister!

Michael said...

I am reading that Muscovy are very broody. Khaki Cambells are not from reports I've read.

A question can you put other eggs under a Muscovy?

I read somewhere that some ladies put chicken eggs under them successfully, just take the chicks away before the "Momma" gives swimming lessons. LOL

I'd like a mixed duck house of Khaki and Muscovy if it's practical. I love using the mucky duck water from my neighbors' ducks on her gardens and fruit trees. If you gotta change the water anyway.....

Thoughts, experiences and ideas welcome

Leigh said...

Michael, I agree about the mucky duck water!

I have no experience with Khakis, but I think using a Muscovy to brood and raise their eggs would be a good idea. I would try letting them brood chicken eggs too, if we didn't have a chicken volunteering for the job.

One year we accidentally damaged a Muscovy nest that was hidden under our skiddable hay hut. Dan needed to move it and only after we dragged it off did we discover the nest. Some of the eggs were damaged in the move and the mama duck abandoned them after that. So we stuck them under a broody Buff Orpington. She hatched them out and adopted them readily. For the first couple days she kept them in the chicken coop. When she brought them outside for the first time, one of them spied a small pan of water and took a running dive into it! She was one surprised chicken mama! She'd never had swimming chicks before. But she took good care of them. Eventually, they migrated toward spending their time with the other Muscovys.

Never a dull moment with critters.

Goatldi said...

Leigh what would we do without the commentary from your duck escapes? It is certainly entertaining and also gives me pause for second as to if the duck entourage will even come to my farm. I already have cats and they are so much like trying toddlers I am not sure I want another group to contend with. I trust all is well in duck land today.

Leigh said...

Goatldi, critters are endlessly entertaining, aren't they? :) We really do like our Muscovys. I can't speak to other duck breeds, though.

Nancy In Boise said...

Well that's creative problem solving with the dog crate! I've never heard of that but I don't know anybody that has ducks and chickens. I wish we had room for ducks I would love some of their eggs for baking!

Leigh said...

Nancy, it was interesting to me that Mrs. Chicken respected Sister's actions but not ours. Never a dull moment with critters!

If you ever do get ducks, I highly recommend Muscovys. They are "quiet" ducks and so good for urban homesteads. They fly, but their wings can be clipped like chickens!

Amy G said...

Do you have any ideas on how to feed ducks or chickens if food/grain prices become too high? Thanks

Leigh said...

Amy, that's something I think a lot of us are thinking about these days. In fact, I wrote a blog post on it with a lot of ideas that we've tried and use. You can find it here -> Alternative Feeds for Chickens.

Joy said...

I had the same thought as Twoshooz, partion off part of the pen using chicken wire so they can still see each other. Put ducks on one side, chickens on the other. At any rate, you sure tell an interesting story!

Leigh said...

Joy, thanks! We'd probably have to have two exits to the poultry yard to do that, since they all want out from time to time, but there' only one chicken door. Right now, we're trying to figure out an alternative location for the chicken and chicks.