NAVIGATION
I love trying new things on my homestead, so even knowing all the conflicting opinions out there about raising different types of poultry together, I still jumped at the idea of raising Muscovy ducks and chickens together on my land.
I’m very comfortable with raising chickens after all of these years, and I’ve found Muscovies to be independent, easy birds to add into the mix of creatures around my tiny home.
Knowing what’s worked for me on my land has given me a good idea of what others can expect when adding Muscovies to their chicken flock. To paint a clear picture of what raising Muscovy ducks with chickens might look like in your backyard, I’ll breakdown the biggest pros and cons, delve into the practical considerations like housing, feeding, and egg production, and answer some of the chief questions I know lots of homesteaders have at the outset.
Hi, I’m Ryan
Working with all kinds of poultry over the past 15 or so years has given me a rounded knowledge of tips and tricks for raising Muscovy ducks and chickens together. I always like trying new things, and this idea in particular has panned out well on my homestead.
Can Muscovy Ducks And Chickens Live Together?
I love introducing new livestock to my homestead, so when a friend asked me if Muscovy ducks and chickens could live together, I decided to find out by trying it myself. Muscovy ducks are interesting, unique birds, and I’ve never once regretted bringing them onto my land.
Can You Keep Chickens And Muscovy Ducks Together? The short answer is yes, you can. But there are some complications that come with mixing these two types of poultry, so let’s dig into the positives, the negatives, and why I think it’s a worthwhile investment in the future of your homestead.
Pros And Cons Of Raising Muscovy Ducks With Chickens
Before I add any new livestock, crop, or solar device to my homestead, I always make a pro/con list to make sure I’m choosing what’s best for me. This decision is ultimately based on the land and time I have at my disposal as well as how much the benefits will make up for the added work and responsibility.
What goals do you have for your homestead, and what limitations do you have on your time and your land? Keep these things in mind for your own homestead as we go through the benefits and drawbacks of raising Muscovy ducks with chickens.
Top Reasons For Keeping Muscovy Ducks with Chickens
I have lots to say about the benefits of keeping Muscovy ducks in general. When it comes to raising Muscovy ducks and chickens together, though, there are some specific upsides that make this combo worth it.
Keep in mind, these benefits will vary depending on your location, food needs, and other homesteading priorities. That said, here are the top reasons I keep chickens and Muscovy ducks together on my homestead.
Why Should You Keep Chickens And Muscovy Ducks Together?
- They are quiet, which makes them great poultry for living in a neighborhood.
- Muscovies are friendly and might even teach your hens to behave more like pets.
- Male Muscovies are quieter than roosters and are still protective of the flock.
- Muscovies provide tasty jumbo eggs to supplement your chicken eggs.
- If you butcher Muscovies, their meat is tender and tastes like red meat, not chicken.
Downsides To Raising Muscovy Ducks And Chickens Together
For all of the positive outcomes that come when you put Muscovy ducks with chickens, raising two different types of poultry will always be more complicated than sticking with one. Here are some of the downsides I’ve discovered to combining these two birds in my flock.
What Is Difficult About Putting Muscovy Ducks With Chickens?
- The ducks will pick on the chickens sometimes.
- You’ll need to provide an open water source for the Muscovies.
- A mixed flock will require more complicated nesting arrangements.
- You’ll likely need a larger space for your coop and run.
- You’ll need to make practical changes to your feeders and waterers.
Details For Housing Muscovy Ducks With Chickens
Since Muscovies are water fowl and are larger than most chickens, you can’t just add them to your pre-existing chicken coop and call it a day. Not only will your Muscovy ducks need a water source (such as a small pool or a pond), but they will also need some extra space and different types of feed.
If you are raising your flock from chicks and ducklings, keep them in separate brooders until they are old enough to move outside. Ducklings tend to splash around in their water and could get the easily chilled chicks wet.
Coop And Run Ideas: Putting Muscovy Ducks With Chickens?
The greatest thing about raising Muscovy ducks with chickens is how few changes you really have to make to your coop and run. You’ll mainly need to add more space, making sure you have enough coop space for 4 square feet per Muscovy in addition to the 3 to 5 square feet you’ll need for each chicken.
My Muscovy ducks don’t tend to use roosting bars at all, so in addition to adding the extra space, I also put down a layer of soft sand for my new ducks to nest in at night. While I do provide extra nesting boxes which are a little larger for my Muscovies to lay eggs, I’ll often find eggs in the sand where they’ve made themselves comfortable.
The outdoor run will also need to be larger if you’re housing your chickens and Muscovies together. I make sure my run allows for about 8 square feet per bird to keep my flock as content as possible.
My entire flock free ranges for most of the day, so I keep a kiddie pool outside of the run to save on run space. My Muscovy ducks of all ages really enjoy splashing and swimming around in the pool when they take breaks from pecking the ground for bugs. While a water source isn’t absolutely necessary for Muscovies, they’re much more content when they have access to water and much less likely to cause any problems with your chickens.
Can Muscovy Ducks Eat Chicken Food?
Technically yes, Muscovy ducks can eat chicken food, especially if they are fully grown, foraging birds. But it’s never a great idea to give adolescent or younger Muscovies chicken feed or a standard poultry feed on a regular basis, as these ducks have higher protein needs than chickens do in order to grow strong and healthy.
Hatchlings and growing Muscovy Ducks need a feed with 20% protein. This percentage can be decreased to 14% to 16% once fully grown.
The great thing about feeding Muscovies, though, is that if they free range, they will fill a lot of their own nutritional needs as adults. Supplementing with duck feed to fill in any gaps will keep them healthy and happy, and you might consider also feeding them fruits, vegetables, corn, and other whole-food kitchen scraps.
I understand the desire to feed your whole flock with chicken feed because it’s cheaper. If you need to save on money some months, giving your Muscovy Ducks chicken feed from time to time is generally fine. I would caution, though, that a steady diet of chicken feed might make your Muscovies sick, since they may not get enough protein in the bugs and scraps they forage.
On the flip side, when I started raising Muscovies alongside my established chicken flock, I also wondered if my chickens could eat duck feed. I found out the same rule applies. Chickens can eat duck feed in a pinch, but it’s higher in protein than they need and could throw their health out of balance if they’re fed duck food on a regular basis.
What About Eggs And Hatchlings?
I haven’t run into any issues with having my Muscovy ducks and chickens lay their eggs in the same coop. My chickens are definitely more consistent at laying in their nesting boxes, though, with my Muscovies often opting to lay in the sand or other soft bedding that I now spread across the bottom of the coop.
If you’re going to let a broody Muscovy hatch some ducklings, I recommend keeping her separate from the chickens for a while. Ducks, including Muscovies, get extremely protective of their offspring which could lead to extra fighting between your birds if they’re in close proximity.
FAQ About Raising Muscovy Ducks With Chickens
Muscovy ducks aren’t nearly as common on homesteads as chickens or even other duck breeds, so when I began adding these unique birds to my flock, I didn’t have as much advice to build off as I had with other livestock. Here are some of the questions I had when I got started.
Can You Keep Muscovy Ducks With Chickens At Night?
Yes, you can keep chickens and Muscovy ducks together at night. Different homesteaders have different strategies for this, and I know of some who like to have two separate coops inside their poultry run so their birds can separate at night.
Personally, I haven’t had any issues keeping my Muscovy ducks and chickens together in the same coop. I do always make sure to keep the number of birds proportionate to the space I have in the coop. Paying close attention to this spacing helps prevent squabbles.
If I notice that one Muscovy in particular likes to pick fights with the chickens, I’ll remove it from the flock immediately to prevent bad habits forming in the flock.
What Does Keeping Muscovy Ducks With Chickens Look Like?
Muscovy ducks are larger than chickens, and while they’re friendly birds with humans, they are more prone to instigating fights with the smaller chickens in the flock. For this reason, I wouldn’t recommend mixing your flock if they don’t have the opportunity to free-range at least on occasion.
Releasing the birds to forage for bugs and plants will keep them occupied and content, which will in turn make them less prone to starting fights. Having a nice sized pond or poultry pool on your homestead is another great way to keep your mixed flock happy. Muscovy ducks love to be able to swim and feed off of the algae and bugs that come with a pond, and this water will give them natural times of separation from the chickens.
How Long Can You Keep Muscovy Ducks With Chickens?
Once they’re out of their brooders, you can keep Muscovy ducks with chickens for the rest of their adult lives. Keep in mind that the average chicken lives five to 10 years while Muscovies can live up to 20 years when raised in a domestic setting.
Before introducing new chicks into your mixed flock, you’ll want to give them a little extra time to grow. Usually chicks are ready to move to the outdoor coop between three to four weeks of age, but allowing them to grow for even a couple more weeks will help reduce the amount of bullying the youngsters might get from the larger birds.
Can Ducks Breed With Chickens?
No, ducks cannot mate with chickens. A cross between these two birds is genetically impossible, and allowing your birds to try cross mating is actually quite dangerous for your hens. For this reason, if you decide to have a male Muscovies in your mixed flock, make sure there are plenty of female Muscovies for him to mate with to discourage him from attempting to mate with your hens.
Can You Keep Just One Duck With Chickens?
Yes, you can have just one duck live with chickens. In most cases, this means that the Muscovy duck is a pet, but I have known homesteaders to have just one duck for a little variety in their egg options.
Ensuring this lone Muscovy has free range space and water away from the chickens is still important to discourage the duck from trying to become the boss of the coop.
Raising Muscovy ducks and chickens together has been a rewarding experience for me. If you provide the right space, water, feed, and care for your mixed flock, these birds will mix well on your homestead, too. I know you’ll enjoy adding unique birds like Muscovies into your flock to change up the atmosphere on your land and give you some delicious, jumbo eggs for your kitchen.
Your Turn!
- What types of poultry have you raised on your homestead?
- What benefits have you discovered to having a mixed flock?
It I have one Muscovy and two hens in one coop how do I separate the feed so hens have chicken food and duck had duck food