Ratio of male/female Muscovy ducks

[Linds982]

Hi!
My friend and I each took 6 of a litter of 12 Muscovy ducks(mom got hit by a car). They are just getting to the age where we can distinguish males from females-I have 4 females and 2 males. She brought it my attention yesterday that she has 5 males and 1 female! That seems like a bad ratio of males for that poor female that my friend has. These are our first ducks, and aware that she may have a problem, what is the ideal ratio of males to females? Sounds to me like she should maybe get a few females? I could take a male from her-but sounds like she will still need females. Maybe a stupid question, but will she probably need to find ducks of roughly the same age? Mine have a pond, and fly back and fourth from the fenced chicken yard to the pond area. Hers have approximately 1 acre of land they share with chickens, and a baby pool.
Thanks for any input you have!!!

 

[Amiga]

Welcome!

I don't keep Muscovies, but generally speaking, one drake to three or more females is a ratio to aim for. Drakes are different, a few seem to be able to be gentlemen with one female, some guys need half a dozen so they don't wear out the females.

I look forward to reading responses from our Muscovy people. May you all have good lives - long lives - together.

 

[Going Quackers]

2-3 per that said depends on all sorts of things(personality, lay-out and so forth). I don't have that ratio here and for the moment it works but i don't recommend it, i have quite a few drakes who choose a single female and aren't interested in others, i then have some who like a few... i have excess due to hatches this past year, and i chose to keep them on as extra heat.. so packing peanuts lol

I will reevaluate in spring and remove on a as per needed basis. 19 birds total, 12 ducks(2 are not scovies) and 7 drakes(all Muscovy) all free ranged and drakes are separated in various set-ups for nights.

 

[Linds982]

I think I should offer to take a few of the male ducks from my friend-we are in a situation where a few more ducks would be fine-but I think I would still need more females. I just saw a Craigslist ad for brown barred muscovies-3 females(all of mine are black and white). They look to be about the same age though. Within reason, how much do you think a month or 2 age difference matters? These look mature but still filling out and would probably get more red on their faces. Mine are roughly the same.

 

[Going Quackers]

I think I should offer to take a few of the male ducks from my friend-we are in a situation where a few more ducks would be fine-but I think I would still need more females. I just saw a Craigslist ad for brown barred muscovies-3 females(all of mine are black and white). They look to be about the same age though. Within reason, how much do you think a month or 2 age difference matters? These look mature but still filling out and would probably get more red on their faces. Mine are roughly the same.

Probably not as long as their older.. like i wouldn't put a new hatchling with a 2mth old but a 6mth old with a 7/8mth old wouldn't matter to much. Keep them separated though, you'll need a quarantine period then intro with caution. I added a new girl this fall, she was inbetween my ages of this years hatches... it went shockingly well, i still am shaking my head at how well it went lol Scovies have tough pecking orders especially females.