How to Raise Muscovy Ducks With Chickens

Muscovy ducks are a large breed of domestic duck and are raised for both eggs and meat. Muscovy duck eggs are larger than hen eggs and the broody hen used to raise the clutch needs to be of a sufficient size to sit comfortably on the eggs. Large docile breeds of chicken, such as Orpington, Rhode Island red and brahma are known for being reliably broody and make good mothers.

Things You'll Need

  • Broody coop
  • Chicken feed
  • Water
  • Broiler chick crumbs
  • Shallow water pan with ramp
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Instructions

    • 1

      Check the hen is thoroughly broody. Hens that are not quite broody may abandon the eggs after a few days of sitting; this will allow the eggs to cool and the contents will die. A truly broody hen will be reluctant to leave the nest; clucking and sitting as tightly as she can whenever you try to physically remove her. Do not place fertile duck eggs with a hen that is easy to remove from her nest as she is not yet broody. To induce broodiness in a hen, you can place fake eggs in her nest and, in a few days, she will be broody as she thinks she has a real clutch. Swap the fake eggs for the real duck eggs at night when she is less likely to notice the color difference. If she remains broody, you can move her to a broody coop.

    • 2

      Place the hen in a broody coop with the Muscovy eggs. This is a small coop that is used to separate the broody and her eggs from the rest of the flock. She will need fresh water and food at all times she is in the coop. Muscovy eggs take 35-36 days to hatch and, during this time, you will need to force the hen from her nest for 20 -- 30 minutes daily so that she can feed and defecate.

    • 3

      Feed the ducklings once they hatch. Ducklings need to have access to fresh feed and water at all times. A standard feed of chick crumbs intended for broiler chickens will suit both the ducklings and hen. The hen will teach the ducklings how to feed by scratching the feed on to the floor then pecking at it herself. The ducklings can continue to feed on broiler feed until they have grown to adults.

    • 4

      Provide the ducklings with a shallow pan of water for swimming. This should have a ramp so that the ducklings can leave the water easily if they tire. Though Muscovy ducks do not swim as much as other breeds of duck, they still require access to swimming water so that the oil gland on their back can develop. Without this exposure to water, the gland may not function properly and lead to poor waterproofing of the adult's feathers.