A Mulard (or Moulard) duck is not actually a breed of duck! Instead, it’s a hybrid between a Muscovy duck and a Mallard-based duck breed. The most common crossing is a Muscovy duck with an American Pekin duck to produce a meat duck. Mulards are sterile, and are sometimes called mule ducks because of this. Mules are sterile for a similar reason as Mulards; the crossing of two different species most often produces sterile offspring!
The Mulards at Four Winds Haven are produced naturally, as Bucky in particular does not care what species his girls are, they are all his girls! However, it is more common for artificial insemination to be used. Artificial insemination is also frequently more successful than natural breeding.
The term “mulard” is more often used to denote a male Muscovy and a female duck, as this particular crossing with American Pekin ducks produce bigger offspring. It has been observed that a Mallard-based drake and a female Muscovy produce smaller ducks than the other way around. Female Muscovy and male ducks are sometimes called “hinnies” instead.
Due to the accidental nature of my Mulards, I am unsure which crossing produced them! However, I believe it was Sylvie that hatched (and subsequently abandoned) one of my Mulards. That said, it does not guarantee that Sylvie was the mother, as most of my Muscovy hens like to steal eggs to add to their clutches!
Mulards are generally bred for meat production and foie gras, which is a liver dish.
Mulards can also be good farm and homestead ducks, especially for those who do not want to breed. Homesteaders can have a drake to protect their flock without having to worry about rehoming accidental hatched eggs!
My goal in producing Mulards is largely experimental at this time. As many duck breeders will tell you, incubating Muscovy eggs is a temperamental process. I have yet to have success incubating Muscovy eggs in my incubators! With a mixed flock, however, it is difficult to let my Muscovy hens sit their own eggs, since I would like to know who the parents are. One possible solution is that I use broody Mulards to hatch the eggs instead. This way, I don’t have to worry about them mixing in their own babies! I would still need to keep the eggs marked, and remove unmarked eggs, but it does lessen the uncertainty!
FOR SALE
I currently do not have any Mulards for sale. If you are interested in naturally bred Mulard eggs to hatch, please contact me. Unfortunately, I am unable to ship across state lines at this time! Local pick up only.
Permanent Flock Members
FW Samson and Delilah (Samson/Sammy)
Color: Blue magpie pied
Date of Birth: Summer 2022
Samson was initially hatched by, I believe, Sylvie, and subsequently abandoned. I found him in the coop and rushed him inside to try and save what I thought was a Muscovy baby. It’s too bad she wasn’t one, because she is very pretty!
I initially thought she was a boy, hence the name Samson. I thought she deserved a strong name for surviving! She was very friendly as a little duck, and was a family favorite at our backyard wedding that summer.
It wasn’t until she decided to try hatching some eggs the following year that I figured out she was a girl! By then it was too late, Samson was Samson.
Samson’s broodiness gave me the idea to use Mulards as surrogates, although I haven’t had much luck getting her broody enough to hatch!
FW Leafa
Color: Black magpie pied
Date of Birth: Summer 2022
Just like with Samson, we initially thought Leafa was a Muscovy! But as she grew and did not get her caruncles, we figured out she was a Mulard.
Leafa is a sweet, shy duck. She mostly hangs out with Samson. They stay near the flock, but often go wander off on their own as well. She’s never shown signs of broodiness, so I don’t think she would be a candidate for the surrogacy program, but she is a very pretty addition to our flock!