I have found that Muscovys are extremely easy to care for...
The problem comes with how you wish to house them and what you have them for...
So...
Let's just start at the beginning, or at least close to the beginning...
A recommendation would be to get your new feathered friends when both of these conditions are met. One, the outside temperature is at least 50 to 60 degrees out at night. This will mean that, if you have to, brood them (keep them warm) you will not have to do this in your living room. Also, you will be able to put them out to forage during the warm parts of the day.
Two, get them when they are at least one week old or older; this depends on you if you want to brood or not. Why one week old? In general, they know how to get around good, forage, and all the initial health/care questions have passed. If you don't want to brood I would definately wait til their sex is easily determinable and they are at least half feathered. The reason for this is easy. You don't end up with all, or mostly, drakes. And, you can put them in an enclosure at night, if it is good enough, with good bedding and 60+ temperatures you should not have to heat them.
Feeding and care from One week to Ten weeks...
Keep water and feed available to them at all times... Yes even at night in their enclosure... They are growing fast and get hungry a lot. That food is dry so they want something to wash it down after they eat...
Water: I use a quart jar waterer til about 5 weeks then transition to a pan for water that they can get in and out of with reasonable ease. Don't worry about the dirt. Muscovys are "allergic" to clean water. I change water 2 to 4 times per week depending on weather and how many ducks are using it.
1-5 weeks old quart jar waterer.
5-10 weeks old a pan or container that is large enough to hold a couple of ducks at once. I put the jar waterer in the house at night with some feed in a similar style feeder.
Feed: Non-Medicated Start and Grow crumble with ground split peas. The peas need to be ground to about the same courseness as the starter crumble. Lintels will work if you can not get split peas. Either way they have to be dried and you can get them out of the dried bean section of the grocery store. Why? Muscovys need a lot of niacin for proper leg and feet development. Split peas and lintels have a lot of niacin. The reason for non-medicated is because the medication in chick starter is not needed for Muscovys. I have done it both ways and see no difference. So, if you can not get/afford the non-medicated don't stress about it too much. Being able to put them out for a while during the day will suppliment their food, allow them to get grit and give them an opportunity to exercise.
1-9 weeks Start and Grow crumble with ground split peas. 1 part peas to 5 parts crumble.
9+ weeks gradually switch over to adult food and you can lay off the split peas.
Feeding and care from Ten week and up...
At ten weeks the Muscovys are completely feathered out and can stay in adult housing without any need for heat. Their housing requirements are similiar to chickens.
Feed and water become very simple at this point...
Water: I use the bottom 8-10 inches of a food grade 55 gallon barrel. One of these per 3 ducks. Again, they will not keep it clean so don't stress over it. As a matter of fact mine will carry rocks over and drop them in. I guess they want to see if the water will soften them up. Again, I can not stress this enough, Muscovys are "allergic" to clean water. I change water 2 to 4 times per week depending on weather and how many ducks are using it. I read about so many people stressing out that their ducks don't have clean water 24/7. Just don't let them turn it into a mud pit and all will be fine.
Feed: I feed my Muscovys once per day and most days I pick up extra food at night when I lock them up. Also, you should keep a container of crushed oyster shell and one with grit available to them. I never collect the oyster shell or grit. Them foraging though the day will suppliment their feed. I also once every couple of weeks give them a head of lettuce or culls from the garden (i.e. lettuce, radish tops, cucumbers, tomatos, and garlic tops); but, not moldy veggies.
10+ weeks 50/50 Purina Duck food and hen scratch.
I get my Purina Duck food from Tractor Supply and my hen scratch from Richard Brothers in West Plains, Mo. The hen scratch has Corn, Milo, Wheat, and Oats. Wheat and Oats have niacin.
Shelter
Muscovys brood very similar to chickens. However, they do not need anything to perch on.
As for their adult housing. They do not need as much light as a chicken does in their house and they don't need the roosts. The nest boxs can be sat on the floor. If you wish to put a perch or two in their house they may use it sometimes. I have one hen that uses a perch and another that sits on top a nest box. The rest just snuggle up together on the floor.
I use a manual door. I have been asked if Muscovys are smart enough that you can use an automatic door on the coop. Yeah they are. Will they? Beats me. Some nights they go in at sundown on their own. Other nights I have to run them in with a flash light if I forget to go out at sundown. Sometimes I even have to run them in at sundown because they want to watch the old man come in and shoo them in. I swear I can hear them laughing at me sometimes...
Pen vs. Free Range
Both methods have an advantage. And is really up to what you want. If you keep them penned up you don't have to worry about preditors or them getting into something they should not. You don't have to worry about them getting Avian Influenza (AI) from wild waterfowl and bringing it back to your chickens and your flock dieing. FYI, the Muscovys are immune to AI but will pass it to your chickens and other poultry who are not immune.
Free Range is good too if you are straped for feed money. They are great foragers and will spend most of their time looking for bugs. They are harty and look after each other pretty good. There is less effort with free range as you do not have to build an extensive pen to keep them contained.
Personally I use a large pen (approx. 70' x 10') with a roof of poly wire electric fence cord (strong and good life span) not charged and ran every 8 inches width wise for the length. Most sticks fall through and unless the hen is a good aim they won't fly through. A nice large 4' x 16' house with a west window and south door. A couple of water tubs and a couple of structures for them to jump up on.
I do this for several reasons. Keeps my ducks out of trouble and safe from predators. I always know where they are at and safe from poachers and road traffic. I have my Muscovys certified through NPIP. Keeps them from the possibility of catching AI and spreading it. Thus, making my poultry safer and cleaner so people who buy my livestock know they are safe to join their flock.
That all said... I just feel that keeping them in a large pen with grown up grassy margins, ample water, and a safe draft free house is the way to go for me and what I want to care for my feathered friends. They seem to agree with me and their living arrangements.
I hope that this has helped everyone with some basic care of Muscovys...
If I come across a question, or you come up with one, not covered here I will try to get the question and answer added to the bottom of this page... So, please feel free to get in touch with me about things you think should be on this page and I will do my best...
So til later... Keep your ducks in a row... Peace...
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