Muscovy Coop

[Sosalty]

I've scanned 2 Muscovy books and searched all the way to the end of the internet and still have questions. I'm retired, have time & some $$, (think auto door, feeder, outside motion lights, ect..) to invest in preparation for these ducks, but need to get a starting idea of what might work. My goal is for pet ducks yet may eventually take the drakes for meat for population control. Next month the 110 ft X 90 ft pond is getting renovated with a dozer and packer.

Q? A mid pond coop is probable. Would a 3 sided coop, armed with coon cage traps and motion sensors to alert me, be likely to work? If not, will Muskies train to enter a closed from dusk to dawn coop? (1-2 annual is an acceptable loss)

Even partial answers would help. Thanks

 

[ruthhope]

In my experience, ducks -- I have muscovy and pekins -- do not reliably go into a coop in the evening in the way that chickens can be trained to go in. I have had times when my ducks have all gone inside before I have gone out to tuck them up for the night but not all the time. My ducks come up near the coop early evening because I feed them in the coop in the evening. Without the lure of food, I think it will be nigh on impossible to train ducks to go into a coop.

 

[Canadian Wind]

I need to herd mine each and every evening. Although yesterday, I was late getting home and it was already dark, and everyone had tucked themselves in (with an empty belly, to boot!). And they will dawdle for as long as they possibly can, spotting a blade of grass that looks oh so yummy now, or taking one last sip of water.

You can build a shelter for them in the middle of the pond, and they may even chose to stay out there, but as Ruth said, don't expect them to go into a coop on their own, without the lure of food.

Mine free-range all day, btw.

 

[gooseapplefarms]

My muscovies love scratch grains. I shake the bag and they come running. If I pour some in the coop, they'll all file in to eat it. They're only 9 weeks old though, and they don't roam far.
An automatic feeder that makes enough noise, or something thing that makes noise at the same time, for a dinner bell effect, might work.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just always remember if you feed in the coop you have to have water in there also.

Ducks with a coop on the water probably won't use it. I have seen many on here say their ducks sleep on the water or on the edge of the pond. Very easy for a predator to pick off.

 

[Sosalty]

Having ducks will be new to me though I've considered it for years. I'm thinking of a noisy auto feeder for around sunset, then an auto door to close ?20 min later. Maybe a 12" walk around the front and 1 side of the coop with a coon cage trap ready on the side. I'll be around to train them the 1st week or 2, then most days/evenings afterwards. Some Pekins nearby only survived 18 months or so. But there's been a Muscovy drake and a green billed duck at the local small fishing lake for years. Thanks for the helpful replies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My first Muscovy came from our river down below started off there were 3- 2 drakes and a female soon the female was killed then a drake the survivor came home with me. He was 1 month close to being 12 yrs when he died. Only reason I knew their ages was the original owners lived across the river from us and they actually let all their poultry go and they got picked off all but this drake. My humble opinion domestic ducks were not meant to be on their own trying to survive in the wild.