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.

Poultry Squabbles © July 2022

by Leigh at http://www.5acresandadream.com

Our New Muscovy Drake

Last November, we got some Muscovy ducks. Years before we'd had Muscovys and really like the breed. After a stray dog killed the last of them, we decided to wait until we could secure the yard, before getting more. Dan made a gate for the driveway and we made a nice area for them, next to the goat barn under our fig trees. Ultimately, the ducks preferred the chicken yard. And once there, there was no persuading them to stay in the spot we picked. They picked their own.

All was well until the drake became sick. We weren't sure what was wrong, but he was listless and didn't want to move around. Dan wanted to take him to the vet, but our usual livestock vet doesn't work on poultry. They recommended an exotic animal vet. Dan called, explained the problem, and was told they called back. They never did. Not wanting to see him suffer, Dan put him down.

Not having a drake left the two females open to attack by the chickens. In the past, we'd had squabbles between the two species, but the rooster and drake always protected their own and kept things under control. With their protector gone, the ducks were picked on by the chickens. One of them was jumped by several hens who pecked her eye out. Dan was fit to be tied and we almost had a mass chicken execution, but instead, he put the anger to constructive use and built a new duck yard. For Mrs. Duck, I had veterinary ophthalmic ointment on hand. We were able to treat it and prevent infection from setting in, but she's now blind in that eye.

We equipped the new duck yard with their house, grazing bed, water dish, and pool. Because it's adjacent to the chicken yard, hoped it would be acceptable. We figured they rejected the fig tree yard because it was isolated from the other birds. 

Well, we lured them in with chicken scratch and they gave it a thorough inspection. They seemed happy to see their house and pool, but after eating the scratch, they flew up to the chicken coop and returned to the chicken yard. We tried several times to persuade them that this was now home, but they weren't interested. One thing about critters, you can't make up their minds for them.

Well, I reasoned, maybe when we find a drake, we'll put him in the duck yard and they'll be willing to stay. When Dan finally found an adult drake on Craigslist, that's what we did. Dan transported him in our large dog carrier, which we placed it in the new yard. Then herded the two ladies in. They were excited to see him!

Then evening came. Would the ladies finally stay in the new duck yard? Nope. And not only that, Big Duck (we name all our drakes Big Duck) flew up to the chicken coop roof with them and followed them into the chicken yard! 

They showed him around and he seems to agree with them that this is home. 

The chickens are keeping a wary eye on Big Duck and run away whenever he waddles near. Since the three ducks move in a group, it looks like our two lady Muscovys will now be safe from chicken attacks. And the rooster will keep the ducks from pestering the chickens. What else can I say besides, "all's well that ends well."

Our New Muscovy Drake © June 2022

by Leigh at http://www.5acresandadream.com

The Muscovy Ducks That Almost Weren't

We got our first Muscovy ducks in the summer of 2015. We raised a lot of ducklings, collected a lot of eggs, harvested some for meat, and gave a bunch away. In January 2020, our last Muscovy was killed by a dog and that was a sad day because we really liked these birds. But as much as we wanted to get more, the dog problem persisted. So we decided to wait until we could put a gate across the driveway.

The driveway gate was finally installed this summer, and we began to think about getting Muscovys again. We discussed where to put them and finally decided to fence off the area around the fig trees. It's next to the goat barn and sheltered by the figs plus a large evergreen magnolia tree, so it seemed perfect. Dan kept an eye on craiglist and when he found what he was looking for, brought home three Muscovy ducks: a drake and two hens.

Our new Muscovy ducks, 5 months old.

Home for our new Muscovys next to the goat barn.

Can you see them? They did a lot of hiding at first.

Our first Muscovys were black, but Dan was able to get three in different colors. The drake is a "blue" (diluted black, actually grey), one female is black, and the other is "chocolate," i.e. brown. A very pretty trio.

Their second morning here, we went to their pen and -- no Muscovys. They weren't under the trees, they weren't behind the bushes, they weren't by their swimming pool, they weren't in their little house. They were gone. There was no sign that anything had entered their pen. No sign of scuffling, no piles of feathers. They had just disappeared. Since nothing seemed to have entered the pen, the only thing I could think of was owls. But the ducks had a lot of cover, and for all three of them to be taken by owls seemed odd. 

Dan looked in the front yard and walked up and down the street to check the neighbors' yards. I searched the pastures and the woods. There was no sign of them. They were simply gone. It's always sad to lose an animal, but to have all three disappear overnight was really discouraging. 

After chores, Dan came into the kitchen and said, "I found them." They were behind the chicken coop, gazing longingly into the chicken yard. And why not? It looked pretty much like the yard they came from: a large dirt yard with other birds. Dan lifted up the bottom of the chicken wire and they waddled right in. 

Then he moved their water dish, house, and swimming pool into the chicken yard, and they celebrated by taking a bath. 

The chickens aren't especially pleased with them, but the Muscovys seem happier, and being fliers, I doubt we could keep them out now, even if we wanted to. When animals make up their minds about something, there's usually no persuading them otherwise. Yes, I know some people say ducks and chickens should never be kept together, but our experience is that if each male has his own harem, his focus is on protecting his own. With this system, we've had no serious problems.

There was some territorial squabbling at first, but things have pretty much settled down and each group keeps to itself. We're just glad to have Muscovys again.

The Muscovy Ducks That Almost Weren't © Nov 2021

by Leigh at http://www.5acresandadream.com

Mama Squabbles

About two weeks ago I told you about my four broody hens trying to occupy three nest boxes (along with any other hen who cared to lay an egg). The first two chicks were claimed by the first hen out of the nest. Over the next several days, we had one or two chicks hatch per day, until we ended up with eight chicks.

A second setter came off the nest quickly and adopted the remainder. All might have been well and good, but soon a third broody joined the group and tried to round up a few of the chicks as her own.

That did not go over with the first two Mamas and they started fighting over the chicks!

The chicks, of course, don't know any better and run to any hen who clucks at them to come.

Third Mama finally accepted her lower status and now simply follows the little crowd, tending to whatever chick she can.

The first two seem to be great buddies and are starting to tolerate the third hen as long as she keeps her distance.

The fourth broody hen remains vigilant on the nest. I took her off, removed all the unhatched eggs, and cleaned out the nest boxes, but she refuses to leave it, even with no eggs.

Such is life in the barnyard.

Mama Squabbles © July 2017 by Leigh

 at http://www.5acresandadream.com/

Mountain Goat Wannabe

This is Sky. She's a mountain goat wannabe.
(Background goats: Lini & Lady on left, Conner on right)

Behind the goat barn is a section
of wall from the old goat shed.

Sky loves climbing on it.

And jumping off it (while Jack observes).

Her sister Windy like it too.

Mountain Goat Wannabe © April 2017

by Leigh at http://www.5acresandadream.com/

King of the Stump

All my critters like chilly weather. The billy boys are bristled up and playing King of the Stump.

The Grizz starts the game.

Colby the challenger bides his time.

Somebody's coming.

Colby gets his turn just as Clark shows up on the scene.

Being older and wiser, Clark is largely unimpressed.

Then The Grizz takes over once more and on it goes.

King of the Stump © December 2016 by
Leigh at http://www.5acresandadream.com/

Katy and Colby

Katy and Colby © October 2016 

by Leigh at http://www.5acresandadream.com/

What Happened to Mama Duck & Her Eggs

At the beginning of the month I told you how we discovered that our missing Muscovy duck hadn't been snatched by a predator, but had disappeared to make a nest and set a clutch of eggs. We discovered this when Dan found one of our ducks wrestling a rat snake over an egg in front of the hay hut. (That story here, "No Hope for Ducklings?") Considering the number of eggshells we'd found and that Dan ended up killing three snakes, we didn't know if she had any eggs left.

When we decided we'd better fix the old goat shed roof ("The Old Goat Shed: Roof It Or Lose It") we needed to move the hay hut because it was right in front of the shed. Dan could pull the hay hut away with the tractor, but we didn't know the status of Mama Duck and her nest. We didn't know the target hatch date and didn't want to hurt her or her eggs (if she had any left). Dan thought he could lift one side of the hay hut with the tractor and then take a look to see what was what. If she was still there I could put her and her nest into the dog crate and move it into the chicken coop. I knew from experience that broody mamas don't like to be moved, but I could close the crate door until she got used to being there. Neither of us thought her spot a very good choice, anyway, because of our cats.

We lifted the hay hut up and looked. No Mama Duck. Dan knew approximately where the nest was but could see no eggs. What had happened? Had the snakes gotten them all? He chained the structure to the tractor and pulled it away from the goat shed.

Well, guess what. Her nest was there and it was full of eggs! They were still warm and the worst part was that we had cracked three or four of them. We could see fully developed ducklings inside. And! They were still alive!

What to do, what to do. My first thought was to push them back under the hay hut in hopes Mama Duck would find them. Noise from the tractor had likely scared her off and I just hoped that when she came back she'd go to the hay hut; it was only a dozen or so feet from its original location.

All the rest of the day Mama kept looking for her nest, except she always stopped where the nest used to be. I made a trail of chicken scratch from the old spot to the edge of the hay hut, thinking if she got close to the hut it would look familiar and she would think to look underneath. She didn't. She kept going back to the original location of her nest.

Our nighttime low was scheduled to drop into the 50s, which worried me, because I didn't think the half-hatched ducklings nor the rest of the eggs would survive that. We could put them under the brooder lamp, but eggs need more than heat to develop. They need turning and the correct humidity. Without a proper incubator the chances of success seemed slim. The only other place to put them was here...

I had two broodies, a chicken and a duck, vying for the exact same spot under the nest boxes in the chicken coop. I knew they had some eggs, but if I could put Mama Duck's eggs under them, maybe they had a chance.

All we could do after that was wait. The saddest part was that Mama Duck kept looking for her nest. Every time I went out to the chicken yard or goat shed, she would run up to me and cock her head as if to ask where they were. I tried several times to catch her, telling her I'd take her to them, but she wouldn't let me get that close.

A couple of days later I heard some low chicken clucking. I took a peek under the nest boxes and saw this.

For the next couple of days we could hear peeping, but rarely saw the ducklings. One day Mama Hen was off the nest and I saw this.

Later that day we got a head count.

Four ducklings had survived, and been adopted by Mama Hen!

She warms them, feeds them, and protects them. Mama Hen is one happy chicken!

Several days later she took them outside for the first time. It was amazing that even at a couple days old the ducklings instinctively try to catch flying bugs. The adult Muscovies are very good fly catchers, and the babies did what ducks do.

And Mama Duck? It seems that by the time she got over looking for her nest she'd lost her inclination toward broodiness. She looks at the ducklings with interest but makes no attempt to reclaim them.

For now, Mama Hen has her brood, the other broody duck has the nest to herself, and the ducklings are being taken care of. I suspect it's only a matter of time before the ducklings start to prefer the company of the other ducks. All species seem to know their own kind, indeed, even the breeds within the species often know their own kind. Those truths can be found in the old agrarian sayings which are embedded in our language. Things like "birds of a feather stick together." These aren't strict rules, of course, but generalizations. Most often the generalizations are true. I just hope they stick with Mama Hen long enough for her to be done with her broody.

What Happened to Mama Duck & Her Eggs © June 

2016 by Leigh at http://www.5acresandadream.com/

Kid Play

The "big boys" are 6 - 8 weeks older than all of the little girls.

Violet is the only "grown up" who will play with the boys.

First meeting with the big bucks.

Thunder is just too curious and friendly. :)

Kid Play © April 2016 by Leigh
at http://www.5acresandadream.com/