Backyard Poultry Forum

just a silly question... but what is the best way to weigh a big Muscovy drake?

...and what qualifies as a 'Mammoth Muscovy' is it weight, height, length or all of the above?

I often read of people selling mammoths and wondered what size they are and does it usually mean just the Drake or the ducks too?


thanks
Shani

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I weighed mine by just holding him and weighing us both, then weighing myself and subtracting my weight to leave me with his- just watch out for the claws though. Mine is a bit of a handful, I imagine it must be amusing for anyone that could see me wrestling him!

Not sure what defines Mammoth sorry.

To weigh a muscovy we are lucky we have hanging scales so we put the muscovy in a bag and hang the bag.(No muscovys are hurt doing this )
Another way is wrap them in a blanket and hold them while you stand on the scales deduct your weight.
What qualifies as a mammoth well there is really no real mammoth muscovys but what people talk about is really what they look like (type) and size so usually big looking muscovys of a good weight .The ducks too but this is more the whites that fit this discription due to their genetic make-up.

haha... I think it would be more amusing to see 'me' anywhere near some bathroom scales !

...it might be a job for hubby <weg>

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The stepping on/off scales works well. you get a better indication if you have digital scales as its not the easiest to read the normal ones with a wriggling drake.

There is nothing that classes a muscovy as mammoth because there is no separate class/breed for them. Basically it is a drake that is bigger than 'normal' ones. Often they have much more depth and type to them than the meat/utility style bird.

Honk

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If you can keep chooks, geese will be a BREEZE!

ok, thanks macl27... so is there breeds standard for muscovy weight?

would anything over this be considered a mammoth?

cheers
Shani

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thanks Honk, you anwered my question at the same time I asked it...
sorry...I have 'dial up lag'

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I can answer it more.

At this stage there is no maximum weight for muscovy in the standard. I hope this changes.

Regards

Honk

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If you can keep chooks, geese will be a BREEZE!

I've got an awesome way of picking up my drakes (I hope no one is going to come along and tell me im at risk of yanking off his legs).

Sneak up behind them and half pin them down (you know so that they can't get away) then they get a bit of a cuddle, because I can't resist, and I find they relax if you tickle them under the chin where the caruncles wrap around, then I grab them by the legs and hold them against your chest with there legs facing out in front of you. They can't beat there wings because they are pinned back!

Slightly irrelevant but I was quite impressed with this technique! No getting poked in the eye with wings OR clawed!!

thanks Honk... I'm always ready to hear more.....
(and learn more)

Flogs.. thanks for the tips... so would he be facing away from you, in an upright position with tail towards your knees and neck up in front of yours... (trying to get a 'visual' ) so that would put his pooh cannon facing away from you too?? good thinking 99 !

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Yep, spot on!

great ! ...or 'spot off' when he misses with his cannon... I'm sure sometimes they take careful aim for you boots !

ok... well you know what I have planned for tomorrow... drake catching and weighing !.. all 3 of them !

hmmm... I hope they don't go on crash diets knowing Xmas is just around the corner and think I am sizing them up for the roasting pan oh dear, my poor boys.........

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Oh NO your poor boys! I hope they do get your boots!!

(just kidding)

.... sorta 8)

Flogs ! :twisted:

I could never eat my boys !... I just hope they know that.... perhaps I will leave the weighing until after Xmas !

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this is Nobby, one of the drakes to be weighed



any idea what colour he would be called??

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