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Author Topic: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule  (Read 6701 times)

Offline Cindi

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Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« on: December 29, 2007, 12:17:07 pm »
Got a cool picture of the young Muscoveys, incubated and hatched around the beginning of October (it was a nice birthday present, hee, hee). There was 8 hatched out.

We had quite a number in the incubator, have learned quite a bit about incubating since that time.  Many mistakes made and lessons learned.

We had purchased an egg incubator, I think it holds about 150 eggs, we did not put that many in, thank goodness, that would have been even more of a waste, due to being uninformed about incubation practice.  We got 12 Muscovey eggs from the man who sold us the incubator, we put a mark on them and we put in about 12 of ours, no mark.

Out of all these eggs, 8 hatched, 6 of which came from the incubator dude, 2 of ours.  One drake is what is called a "mule" (thanks to Angi's informations), he is sterile.  He is the progeny of that horny black Indian Runner cross that loved all the girls.

The first picture is that of them just after they had been born, the second picture taken a short time ago, my they grow fast!!!  The third picture depicts them when they are two and one half months old.  Best of this great and wonderful day.  Cindi

The first picture is shortly after they hatched.  The "mule" is the one without the dark on its head I would venture.  The third picture is of them now, but now the "mule" has the totally dark head, the others have white on their head.  Isn't that an interesting thing?  The reversal of the colour?

These little babies were so tame.  One day they got out and decided to leave their "young" duck pen (it is beside the rabbits) and take a walk along the grass, over the bridge, to the deck that we were sitting on watching them.  Gotta love those cute little duckies!!! 







The last picture is one of the duck survivors from the time when the weasel got in and killed 10 of the drakes and ducks.  She and another duck survived.  Now they are just waiting for one of the drakes from these young drakes to grow up so they can have a mate.  One of these ducks is going broody, she keeps sitting on her and her pals eggs, but they are obviously not fertilized, so I keep removing them.  Regardless, every day, she still goes back on to sit on the eggs that these pals lay.  I am tempted to give her some chicken eggs to incubate, it would fulfull her need to mother.  But, would she raise chickens?  I have no clue, but I kindof doubt it, hee, hee.

She loves to bathe, and for some reason she thought a great big pot would be the perfect place to have a bath.  She has a very nice clean kiddies pool to swim in, but she really likes this pot.  Strange things done in that midnight sun.

There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline JP

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2007, 01:31:53 pm »
All you need to do now is add seasoning, and onions and turn up the heat! Did I just say that? Ok, add some unscented, biodegradable soap and give her a bath. :-D

Here ducky, ducky, JP
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2007, 11:49:09 am »
JP, hee, haw, lawdy daw.  Yep, we do eat the Muscoveys and I have about 5 still left in my freezer.  I can tell by your comments all the time about my poor ducks, that you love to eat duck.  Sorry, can't share this with ya  ;) :)  Before the weasels had come in and killed all the remaining ducks, we had taken quite a fair number to the "killer", I don't know what else to call this man.  He charges $1 per bird, he kills, guts, defeathers and gives them back to you, washed, beautiful, ready for the freezer.  It is worth while when you have a lot of big birds to do, in my eyes.

I have a picture of the ducks off to the dude that morning.  I don't feel bad about this, it is food.  Others may feel feint, I hope this does not offend anyone.

Muscovey duck meat is wonderful.  It is not greasy even in the most remote way.  Other duck is very greasy and that totally had turned me off duck, until my Sister made me try one of the Muscoveys that she cooked one time.  According to web sites, this meat is called "red", no clue why though.  JP, I am going to make you drool, I can tell that, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah.

 I like this duck meat better than turkey even, of course, the meal is not as large, but then I just cook 2.  The gravy from these birds is beyond beyond, no oil, like turkey, beautiful, lovely, yummy.  (I am cooking a bird tonight, by the way, too bad I couldn't invite you and your family for dinner, JP), that would be a pleasure to me.  Of course, cranberry sauce, with berries just bought recently from the farm down the road in a neighbouring community.  Cranberry fields are beautiful when they are harvesting.  Have a beautiful and wonderful day, Cindi



There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Angi_H

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2007, 04:05:22 am »
Yes they would hatch out chickens and take care of them they wouldent know better till they tried to take them for a swim lol. Just like you can have a chicken or turkey hatch out ducks. I have had turkeys hatch out ducks and chickens

Angi

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2007, 10:53:37 pm »
Yes they would hatch out chickens and take care of them they wouldent know better till they tried to take them for a swim lol. Just like you can have a chicken or turkey hatch out ducks. I have had turkeys hatch out ducks and chickens

Angi

As long as it's an egg a broody hen of any species will sit it.  The only limit is size--don't expect a chicken to hatch an Ostrich egg or a chicken to hatch a robin's egg.  You should be able to sit anything from a pheasant/bantum chicken size to a turkey/goose size under hen.  Just remember that the bigger the egg the less you can sit under the hen.  I can set 5 large chicken eggs under my bantum hens while the heavy chickens can set a dozen.
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2008, 09:53:52 am »
Good information Angi and Brian.  I have decided that I don't want her to be raising any babies yet.  We are only getting two duck eggs a day (and I love duck eggs too much to let her keep them).  Our other ducks won't be laying for another two months. So....if I keep taking the eggs away from this little Muscovey will this scar her for life,  ;) :)  What I am trying to say is: 

1.  will she eventually go unbroody if she has no eggs beneath her.
2.  will this cause her terrible trauma if I keep taking away her eggs.
3.  Is it necessary to let her fulfill her need to brood or can we be the powers to be that allow her to go broody or not?

I always worry about emotional trauma with the birds, kind of weird, but I have these feelings and I can't put them by the wayside, I need to know these answers, pleeeeeeze.  Have the best and most wonderful days, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2008, 10:31:34 pm »
Good information Angi and Brian.  I have decided that I don't want her to be raising any babies yet.  We are only getting two duck eggs a day (and I love duck eggs too much to let her keep them).  Our other ducks won't be laying for another two months. So....if I keep taking the eggs away from this little Muscovey will this scar her for life,  ;) :)  What I am trying to say is: 
1.  will she eventually go unbroody if she has no eggs beneath her.

Eventually yes, but it may take a month or more.

Quote
2.  will this cause her terrible trauma if I keep taking away her eggs.

Not really, but it will make the period between being broody longer.

Quote
3.  Is it necessary to let her fulfill her need to brood or can we be the powers to be that allow her to go broody or not?

To that end it is a good idea to have a few dummy eggs around.  I have a dozen wooden eggs for the chickens and a dozen plastic for the pigeons.
A hen will set the dummy eggs for a few days past the hatch date and then get off the nest, althouogh she may start all over with a new clutch of eggs.

Quote
I always worry about emotional trauma with the birds, kind of weird, but I have these feelings and I can't put them by the wayside, I need to know these answers, pleeeeeeze.  Have the best and most wonderful days, Cindi

I had 1 bantum hen set three consecutive clutches of wooden eggs before she gave up and waited about 2 months before turning broody again.  Personally I think broodiness is something to encourage--it is an instinct that is being bred out of a lot of bird types from Parakeets to Turkeys and Geese.  Some Breeds of turkeys and chickens have to be artificially inseminated in order to propagate and artificial incubation is the norm.  Some breeds of pigeons have been bred for specific traits to the point that their beak is so small it can't feed its own young.  In those cases the eggs are fostered out to a different breed of bird until they reach adult size.
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2008, 09:40:54 am »
Quote
I had 1 bantum hen set three consecutive clutches of wooden eggs before she gave up and waited about 2 months before turning broody again.  Personally I think broodiness is something to encourage--it is an instinct that is being bred out of a lot of bird types from Parakeets to Turkeys and Geese.  Some Breeds of turkeys and chickens have to be artificially inseminated in order to propagate and artificial incubation is the norm.  Some breeds of pigeons have been bred for specific traits to the point that their beak is so small it can't feed its own young.  In those cases the eggs are fostered out to a different breed of bird until they reach adult size.

Wow, that is pretty strange.  Not sure what I am going to do with this duck, she is sitting on thin air in the box, all fluffed up with her down.  She is so pretty, I love to look at her, she is very very white with some black, and lovely.

I guess I should look around and have some of those wooden eggs and plastic eggs you speak of Brian.  Next thing I'll check for on my adventures to the store.  Beautiful and wonderful day.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline JP

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2008, 12:16:11 am »
Cindi, sorry I didn't respond to your post, I've been at the property in MS. You did make me drool and laugh, "the killer", some people call them butchers. :-D I was at "the killer's" place in MS a couple of weeks ago picking up some venison suasage. In the rear of the operation there are stalls that house different animals that the killer is about to kill, that people brought to him. He butchers them and wraps them up for you, then calls you when ready. Felt bad for the calves and pigs that were waiting their turn, so to speak, but this is life.

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Offline Angi_H

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2008, 01:26:59 am »
Yummmmm Pass some of that sausage this way wont ya  lol


Angi

Offline JP

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2008, 08:41:59 am »
Ok, Angi, put your hand out, here it comes, fresh off the griddle! I found this guy in Brookhaven, MS. He makes an excellent breakfast sausage patty, with sage, kinda like Jimmy Dean, but way better, less fat less, mess to clean. My next pick up will have some smoked sausage as well, I heard from my friend that the same place, Country Meat Market, how about that name, makes a very good smoked venison sausage as well. By the way, for you sausage lovers, I have yet to find a better way to cook suasage than on a George Foremond grill, perfect every time! I have a big one. Easy clean up too, and great for all meats.

Gonna cook some suasage now, JP
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2008, 10:43:03 am »
JP, cool, I love sausage and those sound delicious.  My Son-in-Law's Cousin is an avid hunter and he always brings them venison and moose.  Yummmmmeeeeeee.  He gave me some bear sausage, it is still in my freezer.  I wish that I could get the guts up to cook it.  My Daughter said that she was not overly fond of it, she thought it was the spice used, not the meat though that she didn't like.  So I am even more hesitant.  But....I really do need to give it a whirl, gotta get over the fact that is is a bear.

JP, here's one for you.  We had one of the ducks for the new year's eve dinner.  I had to take a picture for you, with the homemade cranberry sauce, weep and dool, JP.  The kids lopped this up like there was no tomorrow and even the pickiest eater of all the kids, (my youngest Grandson) wanted more and told me this duck was the best meat.  He shocked the blazes out of me.  But loved the duck (and they all knew where it came from, so that is a bonus that they aren't squeemish about home grown food, hee, hee).  Have a wonderful and beautiful day.  Cindi

There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline reinbeau

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2008, 08:57:08 pm »
Looks good, Cindi - do you make your own cranberry sauce?

Offline JP

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2008, 10:43:41 pm »
You know Cindi, you're nothing but a big tease!!! :-D How could you do that to me! I love duck, yes, my favorite is mandarin duck from this chinese place in Chalmette, Louisiana. They opened about 8 months ago. I have tried this duck dish at a lot of other places but this particular restraunt is the grits! You better watch out Cindi, I just may have to slip in and get some of your ducks. I thought they looked tasty before, but now...

Wishin' I was eatin' Cindi's duck, and not her bear suasage,  JP
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2008, 09:48:39 am »
JP,  :-P

Ann, yep, I get the berries from one of the farms in our community, cook it, boil it, put it in a stew.....ooops, nope I don't put it in a stew, just got caught up in a verse from some kids move or something, talking about turnips in that show or something.  I don't add any sugar when I cook the berries and sometimes forget to sweeten it when we eat it, now that makes for some pretty tart cranberry sauce.  But yes, it is pretty yummy stuff.

I have thought about growing cranberries at my place, just never got around to doing it.  I could, I just am too lazy sometimes with some things.  Have a wonderful and great day, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline reinbeau

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2008, 07:53:54 pm »
I live in Hanson, Mass, birthplace of Ocean Spray Cranberries.  I joke that you can't drive in a straight line anywhere around here cuz you have to go around so many bogs or flumes!  I make my own sauce, too, every Thanksgiving, and I freeze small meal sized portions of what's left over for use over the year.  I love whole cranberry sauce!

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Our young Muscovey duck clan -- and the mule
« Reply #16 on: January 04, 2008, 09:59:56 pm »
I live in Hanson, Mass, birthplace of Ocean Spray Cranberries.  I joke that you can't drive in a straight line anywhere around here cuz you have to go around so many bogs or flumes!  I make my own sauce, too, every Thanksgiving, and I freeze small meal sized portions of what's left over for use over the year.  I love whole cranberry sauce!

We have the same problem in Southwest Washington, the 2nd home of Ocean Spray Cranberries.
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!