Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Arielle]

As a quick question, are ducks REALLY as greasy to eat as people say they are?

We were going to buy a goose for Christmas dinner. Pre-made it was $55.00 raw. $5.99/pound. I was in SHOCK.

I eat a lot of different meats-- how fatty any meat is is relative to the amount of extra feed the animal receives and lays down as fat. Two years ago I bought 6 geese in Feb, dressed them and ate them. Each had a different amount of fat. Each one was delicious but, for the size, lacked sufficient meat to do it again.

Years ago I had a very good duck meal prepared by an elderly woman with sons that hunted; the best duck meal in my life. Long slow baking, crisp and tender. It was a domestic mallard kept, not hunted. SHe prepared it so the fat dripped off.

I guess the answer is "yes".

 

[Yellow House Farm]

Assuming the same feed and husbandry, there is a difference between Muscovies and Mallard-derivative ducks on fat content Muscovies are leaner and easier to dress. Mallard-derivative ducks, on the same feed regimen, will vary accoording to breed and strain. Muscovies are a meatier bird. The idea behind a mule duck is to try to get the fast growth and superior fat of a mallard-derivative Pekin on the superior meat qualities of the muscovy.

Depending on how you raise them and when you slaughter them, you can have a leaner or fatter bird. Part of it is to consider that the place, especially of mallard-derivative ducks, in the natural world is cold water. They're built to swim in cold water in the middle of January and be totally content. So, yes, they're fattier, but with the right cooking, they're delicious. Part of the trick with eating ricker meat, is to eat less of it, savor it.

The fat of ducks and geese, though, is supremely useful. In our fridge we always have a bowl of fat from skimmings that we use as the pan grease for the rest of our cooking in lieu of corporate oils. Goose fat is an outstanding treat: fried eggs, potatoes, root vegetables--yummy!

The meat structure on a duck or a goose is different thatn on a chicken or turkey, and one's carving technique needs to reflect that. The breast is sat on a perfectly plate-like breast bone. After--or before--cooking one removes in ind of like fileting a fish, and it produces two well-formed steaks that are thn sliced horizontally, on a bias, and then served like a good steak. If one tries to carve it like a turkey or duck it makes te whole thing seem slight. It would be like trying to carve a stake over the top.

The preparation of goose is the most difficult slaughtering in the poultry spectrum. It can be downright tough. Our goose and duck is sold at $7.99/lb. $5.99/lb is actually a bargain. Those people worked really hard for that goose; they're undervaluing their time input, as many do. Chances are they'll get out of it soon enough, figuring out that $5.99 is not worth their time. Corporate goose can be had for a few dollars a pound, but they're green geese that shrink to nothing in the oven. Here's a link to D'Artagnan, a more profit-driven business that sells goose equivalent to what one would get from us. You'll notice that it averages about $16.50/lb to represent the work and input.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Evening all...been out moving birds and just put my first chicks of 2013 on the ground. My local feed/seed as well as TSC seem to have cut back to carrying Corid Powder (20%) and no longer carry the liquid I have always used before

Can someone give me some advise on the proper dilution of the powder so that I dont "OD" my birds? I hav 1 gallon waterers in the chick pen.

I've found that if I treat the water of my chicks for about a week when I first put them on dirt that my instances of cocci loss are almost completely eliminated. Oddly enough it's VERY warm already in Ga (was 82F yesterday) and I'm going to try to raise about 1/2 the number of chicks I did last year....need them all to thrive

Thanks much in advance!

Scott

 

[vebyrd36]

Pic of Red Jr. He was interested in the Marans rooster in the pen. He is a funny boy
I

VIVI

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Pic of Red Jr. He was interested in the Marans rooster in the pen. He is a funny boy
I

VIVI

Smart boy!!!!

 

[vebyrd36]

Smart boy!!!!

Yip he was a pain today. I was trying to change shavings in the pens. He thinks he has to be let out everytime I'm in the barn.

VIVI

 

[kathyinmo]

Evening all...been out moving birds and just put my first chicks of 2013 on the ground. My local feed/seed as well as TSC seem to have cut back to carrying Corid Powder (20%) and no longer carry the liquid I have always used before

Can someone give me some advise on the proper dilution of the powder so that I dont "OD" my birds? I hav 1 gallon waterers in the chick pen.

I've found that if I treat the water of my chicks for about a week when I first put them on dirt that my instances of cocci loss are almost completely eliminated. Oddly enough it's VERY warm already in Ga (was 82F yesterday) and I'm going to try to raise about 1/2 the number of chicks I did last year....need them all to thrive

Thanks much in advance!

Scott

Corid 20% powder
1/2 teaspoon per gallon of water, use for 5 days.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Corid 20% powder
1/2 teaspoon per gallon of water, use for 5 days.

Thank you Kathy!!

Me and dilutions/concentrations never did get along....I was thankful to get out of Chemistry in college

 

[Chris09]

Evening all...been out moving birds and just put my first chicks of 2013 on the ground. My local feed/seed as well as TSC seem to have cut back to carrying Corid Powder (20%) and no longer carry the liquid I have always used before

Can someone give me some advise on the proper dilution of the powder so that I dont "OD" my birds? I hav 1 gallon waterers in the chick pen.

I've found that if I treat the water of my chicks for about a week when I first put them on dirt that my instances of cocci loss are almost completely eliminated. Oddly enough it's VERY warm already in Ga (was 82F yesterday) and I'm going to try to raise about 1/2 the number of chicks I did last year....need them all to thrive

Thanks much in advance!

Scott

Scott,

If your looking for Corid liquid 9.6% and you dont mind ordering it try here
http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=439

I myself use Di-Methox (Sulfadimethoxine) it work a little better than Corid and your Feed and Seed might have it. You mix it 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per gallon for 6 days.
http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies....ain_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=492

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Scott,

If your looking for Corid liquid 9.6% and you dont mind ordering it try here
http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=439

I myself use Di-Methox (Sulfadimethoxine) it work a little better than Corid and your Feed and Seed might have it. You mix it 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per gallon for 6 days.
http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies....ain_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=492

THANKS Chris!!!

I'll have my son run by tomorrow to see if they have the Di-Methox....I get to go from the balmy temperatures of N Ga to our plant in Canada tomorrow. Warmest its expected to be all week up there is 24F. I don't mind winter, but DANG I hate the brutal cold

Thanks again