Cottage Rose Birds n' Blossoms : White & Colored Sebastopol Geese, Muscovy Ducks

Cottage Rose Birds n' Blossoms
White & Colored Sebastopol Geese, Muscovy Ducks

Not just the ordinary...

Cottage Rose Muscovies

Update for 2010:
Due to time restraints
I will longer be taking orders for day old ducklings.
I will occasionally have youngsters & breeding stock for sale.
See sales page for availability.
No hatching eggs for sale.

Only Muscovy colors I have at this time:
Blue, silver, lilac, buff & chocolate.

Beautiful dark ripple ducklings in their juvenile plumage

Muscovy Ducks are a very popular heavy weight breed and for a good reason...
their meat is compared to fine veal and is often served in high end restaurants.
Because it originated from the warm climates of South America,
the Muscovy duck needed no fat for protection against cold weather.
It is by far the leanest domesticated duck breed, with 30% less fat
and up to 50% more breast meat than the traditional white Pekin!
It is flavorful and tender, low in sodium and calories.
Did you know that Muscovy ducks have less fat and less calories
per pound than turkey?

Muscovies are popular pets and famous for their mosquito, fly and slug hunting abilities.
They are also excellent foragers, brood hens and mothers and will hatch out
anything you set under them. They are considered a "quack-less" duck.
The drakes (males) make a quiet breathy "he-haw" sound and the ducks (females)
will occasionally quack quietly, plus they make a sweet, soft trilling sound,
but most of the time they are quiet.

If you have put off getting ducks because of the noise factor Muscovies are the answer.
They have a charming habit of wagging their tails and butts like a happy dog
and make assorted goofy looking head movements,
all part of the endearing way Muscovies communicate.
Some people find the red skin and bumps on their heads unattractive
but their many attributes far out weigh this unique feature called "Curuncles",
which can be compared to combs and wattles in chickens or turkeys.
Muscovies also have a crest of longer feathers on top of their heads
(more prominent in the males) that they raise when excited.
While Muscovies are very hardy ducks the extra skin on their heads
can get frost-bit if they are not provided with proper shelter.
While their shelter need not be fancy it should be dry and predator proof.
Muscovies are excellent flyers and will need their wings clipped
annually if you want to keep them grounded.

Dark ripple girls co-setting on eggs in a cozy nest of down & straw

Common barnyard Muscovies come in many colors and patterns.
Most commonly seen are "pieds" which are various colors such as
black, blue or brown with white markings.
Unknown to many people, Muscovies also come in the following solid colors:
black, blue, silver, chocolate, white, self-blue, buff, cream and lilac
with no white markings except for the white bar on their upper wing.
As they age solid colored Muscovies will develop some white
speckles on their head. This can start showing up as early
as 2 years old.

Muscovies come in the following patterns...
SELF which is a solid color with no lacing,
LACED, BARRED, WHITE HEADS,
PIED (bi-color) and RIPPLE.
Also less common DUCLAIR/MAGPIE a specific 2 tone "tuxedo" pattern
and the rare LOONIE which is a loon-like spotted pattern,
resulting on occasion from ripple x barred breeding.

About Pieds...
Pieds are the result of crossing white with colored Muscovies
and they are the most commonly seen Muscovy pattern.

A note on breeding blues...
Some people don't want blacks along with their blues
but it is recommended to cross blacks and blues to achieve
a richer blue color, the dark heads and lacing on your blues.
In addition, show quality blacks are often used to improve type and
size in some of the other colors that have been bred more for color than type.
Blacks in prime feather condition are very striking with
their purple and green sheen that shimmers in the sun!

Pictured below:
Beautiful Self Blue, Chocolate Ripple & Dark Ripple Youngsters.

My flock is loved, well cared for and healthy.
They are my pets, not a business.
They have very large grassy pens and pastures
and are allowed outside year-round.

Special thanks to Rusty Hart
& Brian Paul Witt for all your help and advise.
You guys are the best!

Hardy young Muscovies prefer being
outside even during a winter storm
but need shelter at night and plenty
of food to stay warm

See more Muscovy photo's in my
photo gallery.

For availability see my sales page