Muscovies

[Ravnis]

Looking for something mainly meat, but eggs would be good. Also looking for something that didn't require lots of pens. From what I've read the muscovy doesn't require a fancy coop, mainly a place to overwinter. A plus would be eating grass and bugs. Not too fond of chickens as they can be noisy and duck eggs are supposedly better for baking.

I am concerned with predators as there are neighborhood cats, but the muscovy seems big enough to fend them off. I have a fenced in yard, but cats just climb fences.

[Ravnis]

I have a mix of muscovies and buff orphintons now, 17 in all. They have grown quick. The older ones have begun to fly , but stay close to the fenced in yard. THe fenced in area is about 50ft x 50 ft. Had them since mid july and they still kind of shy away from me. Although if there food bowl is empty, they will follow at a distance while I refill it.

One of my 5 month old kittens decided she wanted to dry some duckling and went in the fenced area. To my amazement the adult ducks put the ducklings in a circle and formed a "guantlet" between the cat and the fence. That cat couldn't get out of there fast enough and won't go back in. Amazingly smart critters.

[GaryD]

Hi Ravnis,

I have a mix of muscovies and buff orphintons now.....

You may need to separate them as they get older or you may find that they'll "mix" in the biblical sense. Once thing is certain, your buffs won't appreciate a 5kg Muscovy drake trampling all of them.

Gary

[Ravnis]

I'll keep that in mind. The only trampling I have seen thus far is the one khaki cambell(male) and the oldest buff. I have not seen a single drake feather form on any of the scovies, so they might just turn out to be all females., but it is still early I think as they are 3-4 months old now. Guess that one drake may need an energy drink if he turns out to be the only male.

[Brier]

Muscovies do not get the typical drake feather seen in mallard based breeds. Look for a more elongated body, and more exposed skin on the head.

[Bear]

Hi
Gary may have forgotten this but a few months ago one of our neighbours asked us to look after their selection of mixed poultry while they went fishing for 3 days, 1 goose (female) 3 turkeys (females) 4 layers and 1 large randy muscovy drake (no lady ducks) all penned up together.
What an absolute disaster,we went to put them away on the 2nd night and found one of the turkey hens had been very badly mauled by what we thought was our resident fox but turned out to be the drake, he made a shocking mess of her back between her wings when he had pinned her down and trodden all over her back.Gary had to put her down as she was in awful trouble and would only have been attacked by the big boy again. Please don`t keep an adult drake in with anything other than a female of his species, if he manages to trap them he will do a lot of damage.
Jan

[Ravnis]

finally got around to trying some muscovy meat. I may not have cooked it right as it was my first attempt, but it tasted like a very tender, lean roast beef. The buff meat is like a cross between turkey and beef. Have not tried goose yet. Does anyone know what that meat tastes like? I incubated my first batch of eggs and am now up to 26 birds from 11. Had a 75% hatch rate.

[GaryD]

Hi Ravnis,

finally got around to trying some muscovy meat. I may not have cooked it right as it was my first attempt, but it tasted like a very tender, lean roast beef.

Sounds like you got it pretty right to me. The usual mistake that people make with duck breast (like many other things) is that they overcook it.

A good way to cook Muscovy breast is to sear it at high temperature (to brown the outside and crisp the skin) and then move the frying pan to the oven to finish it off.

It should be quite pink in the centre and, by the sound of it, you got it right. Overcooked duck breast becomes tough.

Have not tried goose yet. Does anyone know what that meat tastes like?

I'd describe it as tasting a bit like a cross between duck and chicken.....but that doesn't fully do it justice.

The important thing with goose meat is that it is very oily. Cook it on a rack in an oven tray so that the copious quantity of oil can drain from the bird.

Keep the fat from both duck and goose.....and strain and refrigerate. If you have not eaten potatoes fried or roasted in duck or goose fat, you have not eaten the ultimate fried or roasted potatoes.

I incubated my first batch of eggs and am now up to 26 birds from 11. Had a 75% hatch rate.

Congratulations.....an excellent outcome.

Gary

[GaryD]

Hi,

Ravnis' recent Muscovy meal reminded me that it was a while since we ate this excellent food, too.......so, when the opportunity presented itself to buy some, we did so.

We'll feed this lot up for a week and then the biggest one will become dinner and the others will follow at regular intervals after that.

Gary

[Pugo]

I wonder will Muscovies work like geese when it comes people wondering around your yards. I had plans of getting some guard geese. But the noise kind of put me off. But in the Philippines who cares about noise that place it doesn't make much of a difference, everyone has a pet rooster as many People from the Philippines love cock fighting..