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Author Topic: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys  (Read 13062 times)

Offline Cindi

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Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« on: June 04, 2008, 10:07:33 am »
I took an interesting picture awhile back of the new feathers growing on the tail of the Muscovy ducklings, kind of reminded me of a snowflake, boy do these ducklings grow fast.  They are almost not even mother-needy anymore, they are doing their own thing and are feathering out very nicely, they are getting some really pretty colours going on, soon we will know what they will look like as adults.  Beautiful and most wonderful day, lovin' this life we're livin'.  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 poka-bee

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2008, 11:34:29 am »
Great pics Cindi!  One of the most interesting things about raising animals is to see the differences in the patterns & colors that come out of a pair.  There is usually a general "type" but so many small variations in each individual!  I miss ducks, (not enough to have more though) they are so fun to watch going through mud & much filtering who knows what out!  Having a blast w/chicks, they look like full grown hens now.  Keep the pics coming!  Jody
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Offline JP

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2008, 11:39:25 am »
I miss Whoppo!!!


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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2008, 11:39:46 pm »
I miss Whoppo!!!


...JP ;)

Too bad you can't make it for labor Day, Cindi is bringing duck!!!  Yum, Yum!!!!
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Offline JP

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2008, 01:47:08 am »
I miss Whoppo!!!


...JP ;)

Too bad you can't make it for labor Day, Cindi is bringing duck!!!  Yum, Yum!!!!

I am so envious of the time you all will have, would love to be there! We have a special bunch here for sure. Can't wait to see the pictures, hope ya'll take plenty.


...JP
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Offline qa33010

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2008, 12:13:23 pm »
   Almost makes me want to pick 'em up and blow those parachutes off their tails :evil:

Are you sure they're not part dandelion? :?
Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try."  So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin.  If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it.  (unknown)

Offline Sid at Rebecca Creek

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2008, 08:41:15 pm »
I have a mother Muscovy sitting on 13 eggs. It all goes well it will be her first hatching, and our first duck hatching. My concern is that she and her sisters laid the eggs in a chicken roost several feet off the ground. She began to brood them several weeks ago, and hatching time is coming. However, I am not sure what I am going to do once they hatch. Should I move the eggs now, or wait until they are born? If they try to leave the roost it will be several feet to the concete floor.

(Cannot let them ground nest here the fire ants would kill the babies as soon as they hatch)

Any input appreciated.

Offline qa33010

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #7 on: June 13, 2008, 03:01:21 am »
   Is there a chance of a nice thick layer of straw to cushion their first flight?  She may get a little testy if you try and move her anyway much less after they've hatched.

     Will they eat fire ants?
Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try."  So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin.  If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it.  (unknown)

Offline poka-bee

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2008, 03:08:54 am »
It takes over a day to hatch & the hen usually stays till all the eggs that are going to hatch do. You will have time & straw might be a good idea, they can go quite a ways & not get hurt if cushioned.  Have you ever seen pics of wood ducklings leaving the nest?  Oh my! :shock:  Cindi will have more ideas for you, she has many hatchlings of all fowl sorts! :-D  Jody
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #9 on: June 13, 2008, 10:18:17 am »
SidAtRebeccaCreek.  I will tell you of our experiences with the Muscovy mothers and babies.  We always let the mothers hatch their eggs in milk crates, you know, the yellow ones (generally).  They are a perfect place because the eggs stay in complete contact with the eggs.  Sometimes that is not possible and they just brood them in the straw and that works out OK too.  I have a spot in the corner that is a triangle shape, that is where they stay for a couple of weeks after hatching until they are old enough for me to feel that they can leave safely the barn with the mother.  THis is only what I do, it seems to work here.  Once the eggs are hatched, I leave them with the mother alone for a day or so.  THen I pick up the mother, the babies and move them to the safer place.  YOu can do that with absolutely no problem.  The mothers are so devoted that they will not leave the babies come blazes or high water.

So, if I were you, I would just let her hatch out up there, then move her down, babies and all.

It takes about 35 days for Muscovys to hatch their babies, and it may take a day or two longer, so I hear.  When my ducks hatch their young, they are all born that same day.  Oh the joy.  You just wait until you hear the little peeping sounds, the babies are so ding dang cute.  I am not kidding, you are in for a treat of your lifetime.  The mothers are very protective and will hiss at you, that will be a new sound to you, the ducks are usually pretty quiet little ladies.  If you have any more questions, please ask me, if anything is unclear, please ask for clarification.  I can't wait to hear the results of what hatches.  My hatches here have been almost 100%.  Usually, maybe only one or two are duds, it is the coolest thing on earth to see the new born babies, coming out and lovin' life.  Have a most beautiful wonderful day, love our lives we live, and have the best of the best.  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 Sid at Rebecca Creek

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2008, 12:03:18 am »
Thanks for the ideas. We have about 2 weeks to go before hatch day. I am concerned but hopeful. When we first allowed he to have several to hatch she had about 6, then my wife picked her up and counted 13. With that in mind, I wonder if she has some that are not going to be at 35 days roosted upon when the first ones hatch. I am also worried that I have not witnessed the drake have sex with any of the ducks. But then I have not seen my Rhode Island Red rooster have sex, and I have some of his babies at several months of age.

I will let her roost where she is. Move the babies when they are a day or so old, and send pictures.

Reviewing this I realized I used the word Worried and concerned, lord, am I pretending to be the father or what?

Offline Cindi

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2008, 09:22:51 am »
Sid, my experience has been that even another duck will sneak in and lay an egg or two with the broody mother.  My ducks when they are hatching their eggs will usually sit another day or two on the eggs and then actually and really get off the nest spot.  I think that they know that there may be eggs that could hatch for another day or two.  What you could do with the eggs that are extra, is take them in the house and keep them really warm, like about 100 degrees, as in an incubator, if that is at all possible, or just chalk that up as eggs that are not going to hatch and just throw them out. 

When we had the turkeys' babies hatch, there was a chicken egg in with them, a chicken got sneaky, hee, hee.  This poor chick still thinks it is a poult, I sometimes wonder what the mothers think of it.  It scratches like a chicken, acts like a chicken, not at all like their babies, hee, hee, it is cute.  Good luck, things will all work out in the wash.  Have the most wonderful day, beautiful day, love our great lives.  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 Sid at Rebecca Creek

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2008, 11:21:26 pm »
Cindi,

Thanks for the thoughts. It is about 100 every day here in South Texas. 101 today, high 90's yesterday. Maybe the eggs will hatch without her. I have not told a funny part of this story. We had a chicken that frequently "goes broody", and she tried to run the duck away and "steal her eggs". It was a fight for several days. We had to close theduck up, but the hen would find a way over the cage, or sneak in during cleaning time. One day we came to the hatchery to find the duck sitting on the roost, and "some feathers" protruding from beneath her. We then heard a muffled cackle and recognized the hen was under the duck. I believe the duck was finally adamant that she would hatch these eggs. We laughed mightily. The hen has left the nest alone since.

BTW will a hen sit on Muscovy eggs long enough to have them hatch?

Why does the duck sit on the nest and pant when the temp is 100, does she have to sit if the external temp is high enough to incubate (at least for several hours a day)?

Offline annette

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #13 on: June 17, 2008, 12:51:55 am »
What happened to Whoppo?  Did I miss something along the way?

Offline JP

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #14 on: June 17, 2008, 12:54:13 am »
What happened to Whoppo?  Did I miss something along the way?

I believe Cindi gave Whoppo away for breeding, to a friend or enemy, not sure which. :-D


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Offline poka-bee

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #15 on: June 17, 2008, 02:23:52 am »
 :evil: NAH, he is hitchiking to  LA w/a picture of the snips that says have you seen these??? JP or Bust! :evil:  Jody
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Offline JP

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #16 on: June 17, 2008, 08:12:59 am »
:evil: NAH, he is hitchiking to  LA w/a picture of the snips that says have you seen these??? JP or Bust! :evil:  Jody


The roasting bag is ready, the sweet onions, I got, and without Abegail to interfere its a done deal on a fine duck meal!! ;)


...JP
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #17 on: June 17, 2008, 10:43:16 am »
Sid, set some Muscovy eggs under the hen, she will sit until they hatch, hee, hee, it is a surprise for her I would surely think.  The Muscovy will hatch out a chicken too, the yearn to rear young is very strong.  Find some eggs for that broody hen, make her complete her motherly duties, hee, hee.  Not sure about the temperature and the broody thing, the eggs need to be rocked each day, I am not an expert, but I know that they need to be moved until the last couple of days before hatch.  I still don't get that one though, because the mother MUST move the eggs when she gets off and on.

Annette, Whoppo went to a friend who wanted him for breeding, he was an enormous drake, huge, man, and was he mean.  I couldn't keep him any more.  See the new thread I have started about Sir Drake, you will like him.  Have the most wonderful, beautiful and gorgeous day, lovin' our lovin' life. 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 annette

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #18 on: June 17, 2008, 02:55:26 pm »
:evil: NAH, he is hitchiking to  LA w/a picture of the snips that says have you seen these??? JP or Bust! :evil:  Jody

Very funny Jody!!!!! He is going to sneak into JP's house and steal some food from the frig.

annette

Offline poka-bee

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Re: Baby tail feathers on the baby Muscovys
« Reply #19 on: June 17, 2008, 04:36:46 pm »
Annette, Yup!  Whoppo has his own roasting bag & will steal JP's onions...he's probably licking his ducky beak now!! JP in a bag!!  :evil:
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