Muscovy Duck Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Muscovy duck is one of the only duck breeds that did not originate from the Mallard duck breed.

There are also four-color variations that are recognized by the American Poultry Association.

The domestic variety of the Muscovy duck is very large with the males reaching up to 15 pounds and the females anywhere in the region of up to 7.9 pounds.

They have a quite the wingspan and are excellent flyers that will fly if they need to.

These ducks are very distinctive with the having a bump on top of their heads and red rest around their eyes.

Muscovy ducks are very quiet ducks and hardy make a noise although the male will hiss if threatened. They do make good pets if tamed correctly but they never really overcome their wild side as they do not like to be handled. They are also very independent, like to fend for themselves and are very good guard ducks!

GENERAL INFORMATION
Country of Origin:	South America
American Poultry Association:	yes Recognized by the American Poultry Association
Duck Category:	Heavy Breed
Duck Class:	South America
Colors:	Black, Date of acceptance: 1904 Blue, Date of acceptance: 1950 Chocolate, Date of acceptance: 1982 White, Date of acceptance: 1874
Other known colors	Pied, Green, Lavender, Bronze, Barred and Ripple
Other names known by	Creole Duck or Wood Duck
Good starter duck?	They are very independent and a bit wild. Only for those newbies up for a challenge as they do need a small pond with pond side nesting boxes.
You may Also Like:	TOP 10 GOOD STARTER DUCK BREEDS
Bantam Variety Available?	No
You may Also Like:	10 BEST BANTAM DUCK BREEDS

APPEARANCE / IDENTIFICATION

DUCK BITS

DESCRIPTION

COLOR

EYES⇒

Dark Brown

BILL⇒

Medium

Black/Pink Speckled

Straight out from its head. * Black bean tipped and black bump under the bill

CRESTED?

Yes

Depends on Feathers Color

The male has a large crest of feathers on his head.
The female’s crest is hardly visible

EAR LOBES⇒

Normal

Same as Feathers

Small, feather-covered holes behind the eyes

LEGS⇒

Wide Apart

Black

Positioned backwards on the body

FEET⇒

Medium Sized

Black/Orange/Pinkish

Thin membrane webbed feet with claws on their toes

WINGS⇒

Long Wingspan

Same as feathers

Fly extremely well. Wings need to be clipped/pinned

FEATHERS⇒

Excellent down

See the list of colors

Were used as for down

SKIN COLOR⇒

Same for M & F

Varies with color

The lighter colors/white have the white skin

AVERAGE WEIGHT⇒

Adult Female:	9.9 lbs.
Adult Male:	15.00 lbs.
Mature:	**5 lbs. @ 7 weeks old

*Bean: This is also called the nail. It is a small round bump found at the end of the duck’s bill. It is used for defence and to catch insects. It is almost like a fingernail and is damaged can grow back. It can also get overgrown much like fingernails if they do not have something to grind it down on.

** Note: This is an average weight for the male duck and not a guaranteed weight

USE/PURPOSE

Females/Hens

⇒

Dual Purpose, exhibition + Breeding. This is a very unique looking breed of duck with a small crest on top of her head. Their feet have quite long claws at the end as they like to perch.

Eggs⇒
	Color:	White
	Qty/Yr:	180
	Size:	Large
	They will start to try hatch eggs from their first lay
	Start to lay around 25 to 30 weeks old. They lay consistently through the year
You may Also Like:	10 BEST DUCK BREEDS FOR EGG PRODUCTION

Broody:	Yes	They do get broody
Mothers:	Yes	Excellent mothers and fiercely protective. It is best not to try to touch her ducklings
Meat:	Yes	A very lean meat that is said to have superb flavor. Sadly, they are also much desired for Foie Gras!
You may Also Like:		10 BEST DUCK BREEDS FOR MEAT PRODUCTION
Pets:	Yes	Wild, active birds that can also be really gently and great guard birds if raised correctly and trained.
Show:	Yes	They do keep this breed as a show bird
Prime:	7 yrs	They lay right up to between 8 to 9 years of age if they stay healthy

Males/Drakes

⇒

Meat, exhibition + Breeding. They have more of a crest on their faces like they are wearing a mask. Their crest of feathers on their head is also a lot bigger.

Breed:	Yes	Should only start to breed them at 6 months old
Start:	–	Start to get fertile at around 3 – 4 months
No. Females	5	For every 1 drake in a flock
Aggressive	No	They are very intelligent but also fiercely independent. They prefer to hunt for their own food. They are great guard birds and will be completely loyal to their humans if raised right.
Meat	Yes	A meat of superb flavor and quality that is very lean
You may Also Like:		10 BEST DUCK BREEDS FOR MEAT PRODUCTION
Pets:	Yes	They can make great pets with time and patience in training them
Show:	Yes	They are kept for show birds
Prime:	4 yrs	It is best to mate the younger drakes of up to about 4 years old

TEMPERAMENT
“They are independent, can be a bit wild and do not like being handled. If you do handle them be careful of their long claws on their feet. Even though they can be wild they are also quite gently birds.”
Good with Kids?	I would be wary with them around kids.
You may Also Like:	10 BEST DUCK BREEDS TO KEEP AS FAMILY PET
Flyers?	They are expert flyers with an impressive wingspan and flight distance
Noisy Birds?	Not at all noisy in fact, they very seldom make a noise at all. The quietest of the duck breeds
Interact with other ducks?	They tend to stick to their own kind. If they do breed with a mallard the offspring will be sterile but produce delicious meat.
Best duck breeds to mix them with:	I would stick to a flock of Muscovy ducks rather. .
Other animals?	Most ducks are not too fussed with other animals. I would watch dogs and cats around them though.

IDEAL ENVIRONMENT
“They need a small pond with raised nesting areas or hollow tree trunks to nest in around the pond. They do not spend as much time in the water as other ducks and like places to perch.”
Ideal Garden Size?	They require a bit more space than the average small garden
Can be Confined?	This breed has a wild side and likes its independence
Free-Range	They do best in a free-range type environment
Penned Free-Ranging?	I would not open them.
Foragers	Good strong foragers in fact probably the best out of all the domestic breeds
Endures heat well	Most ducks will take the heat as long as they have a cool clean dipping pond
Endures cold well	They can withstand temperatures up to 12 degrees Celsius
Special Requirements?	They need some open nesting boxes if not hollow trees and perches
Ideal Duck House:	Depending on the size of the flock a normal duck house with bedding and security from predators.
Ideal Duck Pond:	A small to medium sized pond with some water plants and foliage around it
Flock/Paddling Size:	Their needs to be at least two of them.
You may Also Like:	22 Best DOMESTIC DUCK BREEDS

GOOD TO KNOW
“This breed has a very unique look and has the most amazing characters. Even though they are a bit on the wild side once they have taken to you they are gentle and fiercely protective. They will protect their young to the death and have been known to attack intruders in the yard as well. They have cute flat duck tails that they wag just like a dog too.”
Special Care/Attention Requirements?	These are the hardiest of all the domestic breeds of ducks and do not have many illnesses
Known Predators:	Check with animal control in your area for known predators. Although they will take on quite a few animals that dare to threaten or challenge them.
Conservations Status:	Critical – For more information on poultry, conservation status, check the American Livestock Conservancy Website
Breeders Clubs:	It is best to check with the American Poultry Association for various clubs and or organizations.
Where to buy them:	Check with Omlet US, Purely Poultry and or or check with your local poultry dealers and or farmers, the APA or check with the American Livestock Conservancy
Other:	If you do not want to risk having your ducks shipped check with your local poultry farms for advice on your nearest supplier.

HISTORY

Although Muscovy’s can be a bit wild they are generally very gentle and are known to be the quietest of all the duck breeds. The hens will gently quack at her eggs whilst incubating them and the males have more of a hiss than a quack.

These beautiful birds originated from South or Central America and are the only species of domesticated ducks that do not come from the Mallard breed.

Muscovy’s were domesticated mainly in South America and were only introduced into North America in the 20th Century.

These birds got their name from the company that used to trade the ducks in the 1500’s. This company was the Muscovite Company.

The wild variety of this breed a quite a bit thinner and smaller than the domesticated breed. They are also one of the only wild breeds of ducks that are polygamous.

These ducks are very independent and prefer to nest in the hollows of trees or a raised roost. They also prefer to find their own food such as nuts, grains, small fish, crabs, various insects (ducks LOVE snails and slugs) and fruit.

Muscovy ducks are sometimes referred to as wood ducks as the wood duck is the closest relative to the breed.

When breed Muscovy ducks if they are bred with a Mallard its offspring is known as a Mule Duck or Mulard. The Mule Duck or Mulard is infertile and cannot be bred but they make incredible meat ducks with a taste that is said to be superb.

The Muscovy ducks’ heart and liver are also used in homoeopathic medicine specifically for a remedy to treat and or prevent the flu.

You will not find these ducks in the water as much as other ducks either as their feathers are not that waterproof due to an underdeveloped oil gland.

Health

Muscovy ducks are less prone to disease than any other breed of duck.

Ducks need water to ensure they do not get “wet feather” disease. This is where the preening gland dries out. Water also stops them from getting pests such as mites, fleas, ticks, lice, etc.
Well, fed ducks should hardly have any health issues.
Any birds kept in a flock need to be dewormed. Although ducks are not as prone as other poultry they should still have a de-worming regime. Speak to a local vet or poultry experts for advice. Our article on Healthy Ducks has some great tips and advice on de-worming ducks.