Self-sufficiency is something we could all try our hand at, it ensures a person’s family will get the very best organic foods, handmade clothing and even the greatest education to be had. Muscovy ducks seem to fit the homesteaders’ bill just right; they provide lean and delicious meat, soft down, perfect insect control along with nearly perfect weed control. A person can have it all, all in the form of a good sized, quiet and easy to care for duck, the wonderful Muscovy.
Getting Started With Muscovy Ducks
Unlike many forms of livestock, Muscovy ducks can just about take care of themselves. They are efficient foragers, excellent broody mothers and have fantastic flying and perching capabilities. They are also not prone to trust potential predators; they will take flight, or stop and defend their offspring viciously. Anyone who has seen the claws on a Muscovy duck can vouch for the possibility of bloody wounds if the animals are not handled correctly or feel very threatened. They also have very powerful wings and a hooked bill to add to their arsenal. This may sound scary but it is a good thing; Muscovy ducks have retained their wild instincts, and this makes them very successful in the natural world. If they lay a fertile egg, you can just about bet that egg will hatch and many of the ducklings will survive. Muscovy ducks are not mean without cause; a “good” Muscovy will not attack unprovoked, as they would rather mind their own business of eating pests as opposed to a bloody battle.
What to Feed Muscovy Ducks
Muscovy ducks need protein in order to develop properly. Supplement their feed with table scraps, weeds, cooked eggs, fish, and various other meaty scraps. A well-fed Muscovy duck can yield 20 eggs or more per clutch, 3-4 times a year. Ducklings grow faster if fed high protein diets. If left to graze freely on one’s property the ducks can get most of what they need all by themselves. If penned it is up to the caretaker to ensure each bird gets his or her fair share of good food. As with any animal, be sure to provide plenty of clean drinking water. Muscovy ducks do not require a pond and even though quite hardy to the elements in colder climates, these tropical waterfowl can possibly become chilled or frostbitten if allowed to become waterlogged in winter.
Muscovy Ducks Can Be Territorial
Muscovy drakes will fight with one another if too crowded and they feel another male is trying to take their females. If given plenty of room and females per drake, fighting can be kept to a minimum. Any ill birds need to be culled from the flock.
The Uses of Muscovy Ducks
Their meat is dark and flavorful, lacking the wild taste of mallards and their kin, some comparing it to veal or even the best beef steak. Their eggs are nutritious, delicious, and great for baking. The eggs are larger than a chicken and not as easily broken. Make sure to use duck eggs as soon as possible as their shells are porous and can absorb various odors.
Muscovy ducks are excellent at killing flies and other garden pests, even mice and slugs. Their grazing can help to weed out noxious invasive weeds from ponds as well as the garden. Muscovy duck droppings make an excellent nitrogen rich fertilizer for lawns, trees, vegetable gardens, and even flowers.
All in all the Muscovy duck is a true gem in the livestock world; it is a bird worth looking into and keeping for food and profit. Even if the homesteader does not care for duck meat or eggs, their neighbors, dogs, cats, and other carnivores will relish fresh, healthy meat.
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