Important things to look for when choosing a new Muscovy Drake for your flock and Introducing a new Drake to the Muscovy Ducks in the poultry coop.
Important things to look for when choosing a new Muscovy Drake for your flock and introducing a new Drake to the Muscovy Ducks in the poultry coop.
When choosing a Muscovy Drake for my flock, I select a healthy bird that interacts well with their own flock.
I check that it walks well, has strong legs, has no deformities, has wings are flat around his body, has a healthy appetite, clear eyes – not cloudy or sunken in and no poop smeared around his bottom.
I also check there are no sores or missing feathers, of course in moulting season there can be feathers missing due to the moult.
For a backyard Drake it is important to choose a nice natured bird and if he will be a breeding drake, choose an unrelated Male to your Ducks. It is better to start off with genetic diversity.
The last thing I look for is colour.
When I first bring my new Muscovy Drake home, I check under his wings for parasites, if he is clean, I lock him in a cage in the coop, feed him some food grade Diatomaceous Earth sprinkled on some grain and have some apple cider vinegar in his water.
If he is still young and growing I add some Brewers Yeast to his food to help with strong bone growth and added nutrition until he is fully grown and if he is older I just feed this a few times to be sure he is in maximum health.
He can now meet the rest of the flock and get used to his new environment. I keep watch until he settles in.
Happy homesteading
Elissa Jayne
www.elissajayne.com
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