I have never been a fan of muscovy ducks, just can't get over the nobbly faces but they do have some advantages over mallard decent domestic ducks notably they are great broodies and mothers.
One of my neighbours has a muscovy duck that always comes and raises a brood of ducklings in her barn (not her duck!). They tend to keep the drakes for meat and sadly the fox tends to take the rest. Now much as I love my ducks and ducklings, hand raising them, having the cage in the house and the accompanying smell no matter how often you clean out is wearing thin and the idea of a broody is very appealing so had been thinking of getting a muscovy or two. My neighbour gave me one of her girls as she was pleased that it meant it would have a safe home.
Well I kind of wished I had got a couple as it was sad watching her pottering around by herself as it takes a while to settle into the flock. Despite that she put herself to bed with the rest and I was hopeful they would accept her quickly.
Then she vanished.
I assumed she had been taken by a fox as she tends to be away from the rest of the flock. Had to ring my neighbour to check she hadn't return home which was a bit embarrassing and sadly she hadn't. Then about 5 days later my OH saw her in our pond! There is a reason we don't let the ducks onto that pond - it is right by the drive and road, very deep at the back and has very steep edges plus 2 little islands making it almost impossible to see how we would ever get them back off. Despite the pond being at it's lowest since we have been here attempts to get her out proved fruitless (and wet and very smelly - the OH did a really good job of not laughing when I fell in and literally came up spitting duckweed!).
We had come to accept that she is going to live on the pond and hopefully not get eaten by nesting on the islands until tonight when she let herself back into the run (don't know how, she has been wing clipped and none of the others get out) and put herself to bed with the rest!
I have the feeling this duck is trouble!Despite that I also can't get over the feeling she is called Maud. Watch this space, I suspect this is not the end of the story.