BREEDS AND VARIETIES 



about two years for the males of this breed to fully 

 mature although the ducks get their full size when 

 one year of age. The Muscovy is perhaps the best 

 general purpose breed for a farm flock. 



The extent and intensity of the red of the face in- 

 creases up to maturity and the redder the face the 

 better. The plumage of the Muscovy is not as downy 

 or oily as other breeds, the feathers being harder. 

 For this reason the birds are more apt to become 

 wftter soaked and to drown as a result when they 

 have not been accustomed to water in which to 

 swim. This is especially true of the drakes on ac- 

 count of their large size and long wing feathers. 

 Muscovy ducks dress well, having a rich yellow skin, 

 and therefore make a good market duck, although 

 the difference in size of the duck and drake and the 

 dark pin feathers of the Colored variety are disad- 

 vantages from a market standpoint. Select against 

 breeders which run small in size as there is more or 

 less of a tendency for this breed to decrease in size. 

 The Muscovy is long lived, specimens having been 

 known to breed until they were eight or ten years 

 of age. 



The Colored Muscovy. Although the standard 

 calls for more or less white in different sections of 

 this variety^ as a matter of fact breeders desire to 

 get the birds as dark as possible except for a very 

 small patch of white on the breast and a small patch 

 of white on the center of the wing. Indeed, birds 

 without the white on the breast and with very little on 



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