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After 7 years of raising nearly every breed of duck we would think of, we have decided to raise the most ideal breed for us and our ranch.
In Summer of 2011 we started with a batch of 15 ducklings. They grew extremely rapidly, were very easy to care for and had wonderful personalities! We sent one 8 week old duckling to be processed and he was already double the weight of our assorted other breed ducks. This was very exciting news and we quickly decided that Muscovy ducks was the duck for our farm and would be the only breed we wanted or needed. We were also very pleased that Mucovies are accepted in the APA Breed Standard and can be shown! We will of course be participating in exhibiting our Muscovies at the Shows we attend each year!

In September, we added 15 ducklings and 11 duckling from other bloodlines. In October of 2011, we were able to add on yet another bloodline of young adult ducks which made our breeding groups complete. We plan on keeping 15 females and 6 males from this first batch in order to make 5 sets of quads, (male is unrelated to the females). From these groups, we expect to have an average of 140-160 ducklings per group in one season (3-4 hatchings per season), so hopefully a total of 750 duckling in our 2012 Season! That is of course assuming there are no losses or animal attacks on nest or birds.

We will be offering ducklings and ducks in the following colors for 2012; Solid White, Solid Black, Solid Chocolate, Solid Blue, Broken or spotted chocolate, blue and black. We also have some very interesting patterns and possibly some lavender.

Duckling prices for 2012 are
1 day to one week old- $5 each
1 week to 2 weeks old $6 each
2 weeks to 3 weeks old $7 each
Adult (male/ female) pairs $30-$40 -very limited availability

Muscovy ducks come in a large assortment of colors and color patterns. Males and females are similar in appearance, but males are nearly twice as large as females.The males can grow to be quite large, weighing 10-15 lbs. Most of the females are 5-7 pounds but can reach up to 9 and sometimes 10 lbs. Their feet have strong sharp claws and are built to grasp, so that they can perch on branches. Muscovy are unique because of their bright red crest around their eyes and above the beak. In addition, males have a patch of bare black skin surrounded by pinkish-red caruncles (fleshy outgrowths) which extends from the back of the eye to the bill. Muscovy are the only domestic ducks that do not come from Mallard stock. They are a South American species, originating from Brazil. The original (wild type) coloration is black and white, but domestication has produced many more colors. These colors include; blue, blue and white, chocolate, chocolate and white, white, black, black and white, lavender, and calical. Day old ducklings colors range from a solid pale yellow to yellow and black, the feet are yellow and black. Although relatively silent, the male produces a low hissing sound and the female has a short, weak "quack."

Unlike most domestic waterfowl, Muscovy will often fly up and roost. They are very good flyers, especially the smaller females, but are known more for flying around than flying away. They do not swim much because their oil glands are under developed compared to most ducks. Muscovy hens can set three- four times per year, and the egg clutches can vary from 8 to 21 eggs. The egg are incubated for 35 days. Muscovy are good mothers and hatch and brood their ducklings efficiently.

Muscovy when crossed with other breeds, produce sterile offspring. For instance, if you cross a Muscovy male with a Pekin female you will hatch mules; if you cross a Pekin male with a Muscovy female the progeny are called hinnies. A Pekin takes 28 days to hatch and a Muscovy takes 35 days, a mule or hinny takes 32 days to hatch.

Approximately 60% of mule ducks are males. Some of their characteristics are like the Muscovy as they are large, quiet, slow moving and have long claws but are also like Pekin as they swim well, the males and females are much the same size and they do not fly. Mules and hinnies cannot reproduce. Both males and females are sterile and only the hinny females lay eggs (though they cannot hatch).

Muscovy duck has a unique taste: it is lean, meaty, tender and flavorful. A 4 lb. Muscovy has the highest yield of any duck available and 50 percent more breast meat than other ducks. Muscovy breast meat is 99 percent lean and the skin of our duck has 50% less fat than the Moulard or Pekin varieties! Muscovy ducks have less fat and less calories per pound than turkey? Muscovies are also extremely effecient at insect and mosquito control. A Canadian study of fly controls with dairy calves found that Muscovies caught 30 times more houseflies than commercial flytraps, baits or flypaper. The ducks also ate spilled feed so flies couldn't breed in it