Ducks are popular and friendly pets and there is no duck quite like the self-proclaimed “king of ducks”, the Muscovy. Muscovy ducks are of the more opinionated form of duck, yet easy to care for and they help keep insect pests in the yard down to a minimum.

Muscovies are larger ducks native to Mexico, Central America, South America and small portions of southern North America. These ducks are frequently seen in Florida, Louisiana and Texas. They are very distinctive in their appearance, their bodies are mostly black with some white and they have distinctive red faces. Male Muscovy ducks can weigh as much as 17 pounds easily.

Muscovies are available from duck breeders, farm animal rescues and occasionally the local animal shelter. A Muscovy duckling costs between $15 and $20 depending upon gender and your location. An adult female Muscovy can be adopted for very little from a rescue, or will cost between $15 and $30 from a breeder. Male Muscovys can range as high as $75-100 if they are proven breeders. When it comes to pet keeping females are generally the better choice as they are less aggressive and smaller.

It may be tempting to “adopt” a feral Muscovy but be warned that these ducks are generally much more aggressive and may become extremely protective of their territory, and they are already used to begging for food and will think nothing of snatching your picnic lunch right out of your hands. If you see ducklings that you are quite sure are abandoned call your local wildlife rescue office or the SPCA to determine the best course of action. In some areas the wildlife folks will do nothing and the animals will be left helpless, but in some areas the ducklings will be removed from the wild and kept until they are ready to be relocated to a farm or adopted.

Caring for a Muscovy is less expensive and time-consuming compared to other ducks. You don’t need to allow your Muscovy access to a pond or lake as long as they have fresh water nearby. Most Muscovies enjoy having a child-size pool to wade in. Ducklings will need warm shelter and artificial heat until they develop all of their feathers. If the mother is not available you can create a nest box with a heat lamp and provide outdoor shelter for the ducklings during rain. Next boxes are easily made from wooden crates, grasses, other soft material, and placed in an area where it’s safe from predators.

Muscovies are easy to feed as they forage for grasses, insects, lizards, snails and seeds. To ensure optimum health in captivity you can provide your duck with a commercial duck food (also called mash.) You can also give your duck protein sources at home in the form of chopped, cooked eggs. When your duck passes their adolescence they will require little specialized care, they are quite self-sufficient creatures.

When your duck is of breeding age you can sit back and let nature take it’s course. Males may begin to show signs of aggressiveness, which can be remedied by giving him a few mates. Ducks are social animals and most feel more secure with other ducks. Providing a large nesting box and nesting materials is enough to get the mating process going. Females may sit on their eggs for what seems to be quite a long time, but this is normal. The first clutch of eggs is usually infertile and it’s advisable to remove them, they can be eaten if you like. Your duck will produce anywhere from 15-20 eggs, but she will not be able to sit on all of them. You can remove the extra eggs and dispose of them, or have a hen sit on them. After hatching you will want to consider removing the adult males from your duck enclosure as they may harm their young.

The average lifespan of a Muscovy is seven years. Muscovies don’t typically like to be over-handled by humans. Muscovies are a very hardy breed of duck and aren’t as susceptible to illness as other ducks. It’s the independence and ease of care of the Muscovy that makes them such enjoyable and popular pets!