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Poultry Squabbles

Sunday, July 10, 2022 0:01

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Muscovy ducks are seasonal layers. The two females of our trio were laying well until we lost our drake. After that, they continued to lay eggs for a while and then stopped, which seemed early in the year. Shortly after we got another drake, they started laying again. They chose a corner in the chicken coop, prepared a nest, and started laying there.

Sister (on the left) and Mom (on the right)

The chickens, however, are no respecter of Muscovys, and have not wanted the ducks in their yard. They’ve been very straightforward about their opinion on the matter, but unfortunately, the Muscovys rejected the two yards we made for them, firmly insisting that they wanted to live in the chicken yard. Even after the chickens attacked Mom and pecked her eye out, the ducks stuck with their determination to stay in the chicken yard. Getting Big Duck (our drake) gave the chickens pause in further attacks, but we really would have felt better if the ducks would consent to their own yard. They didn’t. Anyway, it was no surprise when the chickens insisted on laying their eggs in the ducks’ nest. We dutifully removed the chicken eggs (and chickens), but for whatever reason, the chickens were determined to take over the nest anyway.

So, this latest squabble began when Mom began to brood the eggs. We were really pleased because we would love to have some ducklings. Then Sister went broody too and joined Mom on the nest (which is a good thing because there are more eggs in it than one duck can keep warm.)

Wouldn’t you know it that one of the Speckled Sussex hens decided to go broody too. Great! We want more chicks too! Except! She insisted on taking over the ducks’ nest. This greatly upset the ducks, and no amount of repeatedly removing Mrs. Chicken would deter her. I made a second nest with chicken eggs near the first, but nope. Mrs. Chicken didn’t want that nest.

If you’ve ever dealt with a broody chicken, then you know that they are some of the most tenacious creatures on Gods’ green earth. I’ve tried to break a broody in the past (that story here) with zero success. You just have to let them do their thing, except for us humans, that thing means hatching baby chicks, not ducklings.

We finally put her and some chicken eggs in our dog crate. We gave her food and water, and waited. She fussed about it at first, then finally separated out some eggs and set on them. By the next day, she had accepted all of the eggs. We watched her closely and she seemed content for several days. Finally, she wanted out. Of course we let her, hoping she was now bonded to that clutch of chicken eggs. Even so, we kept an eye on her, to make sure.

On one of my frequent checks, there was Mrs. Chicken, back on the duck nest! Mom ran out in a huff but this time, Sister was more determined. She rooted her way under Mrs. Chicken and tipped her off the nest! I went into the coop to put her back in the dog crate, but she ran out squawking. On my next check, she was back in the dog crate on her chicken eggs and has returned to them ever since. Sister and Mom are once again sharing the ducks’ nest.

Projected hatch dates are July 19th for the chicks and August 2nd for the ducklings.

Poultry Squabbles © July 2022

by Leigh at http://www.5acresandadream.com

Source: https://www.5acresandadream.com/2022/07/poultry-squabbles.html

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