What color eggs do Muscovy Ducks lay?

**White to tinted (cream)** eggs with a hard, slightly glossy shell. Muscovy eggs are not colored like some chicken breeds — expect white or a warm off-white.

Are Muscovy Ducks good for showing?

Yes. They are exhibited in the **APA waterfowl (Duck) class** by variety — White, Black, Blue, Chocolate and more — and judged on type and their distinctive red caruncling. Present birds with clean, well-developed (not overgrown) face furnishings and bright, unstained plumage.

How hard are Muscovy Ducks to hatch?

Not hard, but **slow** — Muscovy eggs take about **35 days**, roughly a week longer than other ducks. The easiest route is to let a broody Muscovy hen do it, since they are excellent natural mothers. See our /hatching/muscovy-duck page for full incubator settings.

Are Muscovy Ducks the same as regular ducks?

No. The Muscovy (*Cairina moschata*) is a **distinct South American species** and the only domestic duck not descended from the mallard. It perches, hisses instead of quacking, and has red facial caruncles — and it cannot produce fertile offspring with mallard-derived ducks.

**Mule ducks (moulards)** are the sterile cross between a Muscovy and a mallard-derived duck such as a Pekin. Because the two are different species, the offspring cannot reproduce. If you want fertile purebred Muscovies, keep them separate from other duck breeds.

How big do Muscovy Ducks get?

Muscovies show striking size difference between the sexes: **drakes commonly reach 10–15 lb** while **hens are about 5–7 lb** (sometimes up to 9–10 lb). That gap matters when pairing breeders.

Muscovy Duck: The Non-Mallard Exhibition Duck

Verified September 2026White eggs

The short version

The Muscovy is not a mallard-derived duck — it is a distinct South American species, *Cairina moschata*, and the only domestic duck that does not descend from the wild mallard. It carries bright red facial caruncles (the warty skin around the eyes and bill), perches and roosts thanks to strong clawed feet, and hisses and wags its tail rather than quacking. Drakes are far larger than hens, and Muscovy hens are superb natural broodies and mothers. Because it is a separate species, a Muscovy crossed with a common (mallard-type) duck produces sterile "mule" or moulard offspring.

APA class: Duck

Egg color: White–Tinted

Broodiness: Frequently broody

Varieties: 9

Egg-color genetics

Muscovy eggs run white to a warm cream or tinted shade, with a hard, slightly glossy shell. Because the Muscovy is a different species from mallard-descended ducks, its eggs and its long incubation period both behave differently from a Pekin or Rouen — the shells are notably tough and the clutch takes about five weeks rather than four to hatch.

Breeding notes

The single most important breeding fact: the Muscovy is a different species from every other domestic duck, so a purebred Muscovy crossed with a mallard-derived duck (Pekin, Rouen, etc.) yields sterile 'mule' ducks (moulards, or hinnies from the reverse cross). These hybrids cannot reproduce, so keep Muscovies well away from other duck breeds if you want fertile, purebred offspring.
Expect dramatic size dimorphism when pairing: drakes commonly reach 10–15 lb while hens are only about 5–7 lb (occasionally to 9–10 lb). A heavy drake can injure a small hen during mating, so match pen sizes sensibly and give hens room to escape.
Caruncle development is a breeding and maturity trait — the red facial caruncling and the knob at the base of the bill fill in with age and are heavier on drakes. Selecting breeders on clean, well-developed (but not overgrown) caruncling keeps the flock's type consistent.
Muscovies breed true within color: White, Black, Blue, and Chocolate lines kept in separate pens produce predictable offspring, while pied/Duclair birds carry broken-color patterning that is less predictable — decide up front whether you are breeding for solid show color or barnyard pied.

Showing notes

The Muscovy is exhibited in the APA's waterfowl (Duck) class; enter by variety, e.g. 'White Muscovy' or 'Blue Muscovy.'
Judges look hard at type and the breed's signature caruncling — a broad, heavy body carried horizontally and clean, well-colored red face furnishings. Overgrown, dirty, or scabbed caruncles count against a bird, so condition and clean the face before a show.
Because drakes and hens differ so much in size, they are judged against their own sex's ideal — do not expect a hen to match a drake's mass. Keep white varieties bright and free of stain, and present solid colors (Black, Blue, Chocolate) with clean, even feather.

Hatching & incubation

Muscovy eggs take roughly 35 days to hatch — about a week longer than mallard-derived ducks (Pekins hatch in ~28 days). Plan the extra time into any artificial-incubation schedule. Full temperature, humidity, and day-by-day detail lives on the dedicated hatching page: /hatching/muscovy-duck.
Muscovy hens are among the best natural brooders and mothers of any domestic waterfowl — a broody Muscovy will happily sit a large clutch and raise ducklings with little help, which is why many keepers let the hen do the incubating rather than running a machine.
The sterile mule/moulard cross (Muscovy × common duck) hatches at about 32 days — between the two parent species — another reminder that Muscovy timing is its own thing. See /hatching/muscovy-duck for the incubation walkthrough.

Recognized varieties

WhiteBlackBlueChocolateSilverBuffLavenderPied (broken color)Duclair (black-and-white pied)

Frequently asked questions

What color eggs do Muscovy Ducks lay?: White to tinted (cream) eggs with a hard, slightly glossy shell. Muscovy eggs are not colored like some chicken breeds — expect white or a warm off-white.
Are Muscovy Ducks good for showing?: Yes. They are exhibited in the APA waterfowl (Duck) class by variety — White, Black, Blue, Chocolate and more — and judged on type and their distinctive red caruncling. Present birds with clean, well-developed (not overgrown) face furnishings and bright, unstained plumage.
How hard are Muscovy Ducks to hatch?: Not hard, but slow — Muscovy eggs take about 35 days, roughly a week longer than other ducks. The easiest route is to let a broody Muscovy hen do it, since they are excellent natural mothers. See our /hatching/muscovy-duck page for full incubator settings.
Are Muscovy Ducks the same as regular ducks?: No. The Muscovy (*Cairina moschata*) is a distinct South American species and the only domestic duck not descended from the mallard. It perches, hisses instead of quacking, and has red facial caruncles — and it cannot produce fertile offspring with mallard-derived ducks.
What are mule ducks?: Mule ducks (moulards) are the sterile cross between a Muscovy and a mallard-derived duck such as a Pekin. Because the two are different species, the offspring cannot reproduce. If you want fertile purebred Muscovies, keep them separate from other duck breeds.
How big do Muscovy Ducks get?: Muscovies show striking size difference between the sexes: drakes commonly reach 10–15 lb while hens are about 5–7 lb (sometimes up to 9–10 lb). That gap matters when pairing breeders.

Sources

Muscovy Ducks (breed history, origin & characteristics) — Oklahoma State University — Breeds of Livestock (University extension)
Customer FAQ — incubation periods & mule/moulard ducks — Metzer Farms (Hatchery)
Quick Reference Guide to Heritage Ducks — The Livestock Conservancy (Reference)

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