Adding brahma roosters and Muscovy ducks to my goose flock?

[ElGoose]

My first post outside of the goose forum!

So this week we will be taking on some new birds, we are getting one adult brahma male and 2 younger males plus 4 young Muscovy ducks.

We have only ever handled geese before so this will be very new to us! Any advice is incredibly welcome.

We don’t have a large flock of geese, only 4 - one one of which can get aggressive but the rest are very docile. Whilst the aggressive one can get a bit mean, he’s generally very welcoming of new birds and it doesn’t take long for him to warm up to something so I’m hoping that’s the case for these new birds!

As I’m completely new to chicken stuff I thought I’d come to this thread to see if there’s any important advice I need to know first. We will NOT be housing them with our geese by the way, we do have a separate hutch!

 

[Stipenvlerk]

I think @Miss Lydia has Geese and Muskovies. She might be able to give more specific information. I think you'll be fine since you've handled Geese before.

O, only remember that chickens don't like to swim

 

[Miss Lydia]

You really need to do a look don't touch pen set up so they can all get to know each other for 3 days to a week maybe longer since it sounds like your aggressive goose maybe a gander. My Muscovy drake did not get along with our gander and they would fight every chance they got so they ended up separated during hormone season. Starting in Feb with the gander and he would go after the drake then in March the Muscovy would have Testosterone coming out of his ears[not literally] and the fighting would begin. My Muscovy drake won't tolerate another Muscovy drake so I only keep one now. My drake constantly harasses my female goose she stays away from him. My flock is on a little over a half acre fenced so they can stay away from each other, My gander passed away in 2021at the age of 141/2.
There was a time when we had a cocky rooster too and he thought he could whup the Muscovy drake but after he went after me a few times he ended up in the stew pot. My little OEGB roo never causes trouble. So after all of this it's just something you'll have to deal with as it comes Many on here keep more than one Muscovy drake and they all get a long I have had up to 4 and never did they get along. I wouldn't advise penning them all up together.
@Canadian Wind
@ruthhope both have Muscovy drakes.

I'm not trying to discourage you from getting these boys they need a home but just beware of what you might have to deal and hopefully all will go well.

 

[ElGoose]

You really need to do a look don't touch pen set up so they can all get to know each other for 3 days to a week maybe longer since it sounds like your aggressive goose maybe a gander. My Muscovy drake did not get along with our gander and they would fight every chance they got so they ended up separated during hormone season. Starting in Feb with the gander and he would go after the drake then in March the Muscovy would have Testosterone coming out of his ears[not literally] and the fighting would begin. My Muscovy drake won't tolerate another Muscovy drake so I only keep one now. My drake constantly harasses my female goose she stays away from him. My flock is on a little over a half acre fenced so they can stay away from each other, My gander passed away in 2021at the age of 141/2.
There was a time when we had a cocky rooster too and he thought he could whup the Muscovy drake but after he went after me a few times he ended up in the stew pot. My little OEGB roo never causes trouble. So after all of this it's just something you'll have to deal with as it comes Many on here keep more than one Muscovy drake and they all get a long I have had up to 4 and never did they get along. I wouldn't advise penning them all up together.
@Canadian Wind
@ruthhope both have Muscovy drakes.

I'm not trying to discourage you from getting these boys they need a home but just beware of what you might have to deal and hopefully all will go well.

Thank you for the info! The birds are actually coming from another flock that has geese and they all apparently get on very well, however we are definitely prepared to separate them if we need to!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just remember these birds are going to be newbies and your resident flock may not take to them right off. That is just something you'll have to deal with if introduced with fencing in between no one can be picked on while they are getting used to each other.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/

 

[Canadian Wind]

Yes, my Muscovy drakes *usually* get along, but during mating season there is a power struggle there.

I got mostly chocolate ducklings this year because the top drake was, of course, chocolate, but a few blacks and blues too. Geez, sounds like bruising! lol

But yes, it's very individualized, depending on personalities. As Miss Lydia said, slow intro with a see-n-o-touch approach is always best. Good luck!

 

[ruthhope]

My muscovy drakes tolerate each other during mating season. My largest muscovy, Daffy, is non-confrontational but has twice been bullied by other drakes as he was moulting, before attaining his full glorious feathers. This year for family reasons I separated them with two big buddies in one backyard, while daffy and my pekin drake remained in my own backyard. In prior years I have just made separate sleeping compartments with either dogcrates or a folded dog exercise pen for them in the coop. There is enough shrubbery in my backyard for the boys to avoid the eachother when out foraging during the day, so I havent needed to have seperate foraging areas.some folks do need separate pens for drakes for day-time foraging.

By coincidence, I just returned the two muscovy buddies to today to my backyard. Daffy was so pleased to see them. But he now has is lovely new feathers and is a majestic size (he weighs between 14 and 15 lbs and is drop dead gorgeous).

 

[Miss Lydia]

My muscovy drakes tolerate each other during mating season. My largest muscovy, Daffy, is non-confrontational but has twice been bullied by other drakes as he was moulting, before attaining his full glorious feathers. This year for family reasons I separated them with two big buddies in one backyard, while daffy and my pekin drake remained in my own backyard. In prior years I have just made separate sleeping compartments with either dogcrates or a folded dog exercise pen for them in the coop. There is enough shrubbery in my backyard for the boys to avoid the eachother when out foraging during the day, so I havent needed to have seperate foraging areas.some folks do need separate pens for drakes for day-time foraging.

By coincidence, I just returned the two muscovy buddies to today to my backyard. Daffy was so pleased to see them. But he now has is lovely new feathers and is a majestic size (he weighs between 14 and 15 lbs and is drop dead gorgeous).

Pictures?

 

[ruthhope]

Pictures of Daffy? This gorgeous boy is a black barred and still shows barring on his chest and belly

Here is daffy on the right with O Pato in the middle and Butter on the left. Photo taken a month ago. Butter has since completed his moult and he is drop dead gorgeous white with blue eyes. O Pato has new white feathers on his chest, but his wings and tail are still ratty from life. I'll be glad when he is fully re-feathered and beautiful