The only caveat with Pekins (well, waterfowl in general) is that they're a pain to pluck. The Featherman is, sadly, not up to the job, so I have to do them by hand. Also, scalding at 145F won't do the job; it needs to be about 165F.
They look fine to me! Don't see much white on the females or gray on the males; no knobs on the bills... can't see if they have the double fat lobes though.
We roast our ducks for the most part. Duck meat is totally dark, even the breast. I would compare it to a bizarre hybrid of chicken and pork. Crispy roasted duck skin is basically meat candy.
Due to a pair of buyers backing out at the last minute, I have two lots of six Pilgrim goslings (so, 12 birds total) scheduled to hatch and ship the week of April 23rd. The goslings are $14/each. Shipping and handling for a batch of six is $15; S&H for all twelve is $20. Total cost for six...
Hi, there!
First off, thank you for providing this awesome community. Now, my question: Is there a delay before the system acknowledges that you've reached the 20-post level? I need to post an ad, and have spent an enjoyable afternoon making posts on the forum (you've got some great folks...
Yeah, there's nothing majorly wrong with McMurray's geese... except that they always seem to be sold out! I believe Metzer gets theirs from the same place as McMurray-- there just aren't many major producers of such a rare breed. For what it's worth, if you're looking for goslings this spring...
Well, there are the double fat lobes, of course... blue eyes on the males, and orange bills/legs are preferred over pinkish ones (though young birds often start out pinkish and get more orange as they age). Keeless breast, medium body size, and flat crown on the head. With only two males to...
I would consider feeding them for several days in a coop or other enclosed area so they know where "home" is and have a good motivation for coming back to it (food).
Also, Muscovies are not as cold-tolerant as many standard duck breeds, so depending on where you live, you might need to give...
Yeah, the little ones cannot defend themselves right now. Once they're all closer to the same size, and can live in a MUCH larger area, you can try introducing them through a divider fence, feeding them closer and closer together until they can hang out right by each other (but still separated...
We don't have a great selection around here, but I've found that even out adult birds do great on a 22% gamebird starter as long as they also have access to grass and bugs. I think if they have a variety of feed available (plants, bugs, commercial feed), they're pretty adept at balancing their...
Duck eggs are excellent as long as the ducks are not eating a bunch of stuff from the bottom of a pond, in which case they can taste fishy.
They have more cholesterol than chicken eggs, but if you look at the actual scientific research and not the cultural hype, that's not a bad thing as far...
Seconding the thing about giving away free samples. Try giving away 6-packs or dozens with a little recipe sheet attached. Poached duck eggs, duck egg meringue, a cake using duck eggs. I bet you'll get a load of loyal customers, once people get over the "fear of the new".
We keep a breeding trio of this rare hog breed, known for its fused (non-cloven) hooves and delicious pork. The piglets are such a trip-- here is a litter playing with the 5-gallon feed bucket.