Today I butchered my first duck at exactly 7 weeks and 2 days. I had read that was the best time to do it because of pin feathers. Well this duck was covered in tiny pin feathers. So now I'm confused I know people say to butcher between 7 and 8 weeks but are the tiny down pin feathers unavoidable? Does anyone have some specific info about the stages of duck feather growth between 7 and 8 weeks? I still have about 20 other ducks to butcher but now I am waiting to see if this pin feather stage passes. At 7 weeks and 2 days most of the pin feathers were on the ducks front. I have no interest in skinning or using duck wax.