Collecting down after butchering.

[Terms30884]

I am interested in getting into Muscovy ducks for meat and eggs and was wondering what the best method to collect down from ducks are after butchering them. I don’t plan to pluck them when they are live at all whether molting or not. Does anyone else do this? Is there a different breed of duck that is better for collecting down feathers?

 

[Isaac 0]

Welcome to BYC! @Terms30884

Are talking about de-plucking them before harvesting there meat? Duck's have a lot of down so its best to scald them in hot water before plucking to loosen up the feathers.

 

[Terms30884]

Yeah I was wondering what the best method would be because I want to use the down for like sleeping bags and such for camping and hiking so I would like to get as good of quality down as o can but am not sure of plucking the dry would make for getting better quality down.

 

[CindyinSD]

It sounds to me like OP wants to harvest the down for later use. Unless you have a way to secure the duck firmly, upside-down. this will be really hard to do. So figure that out and then try it. I have never dressed out a duck, but I hear they're very challenging to pluck--one reason I'm vacillating about trying them as meat birds.

I'm not sure I'd try to collect the down. Modern insulating garments/comforters are more effective and less expensive and easier to care for than down. I'm not sure down is still as valuable as it once was. I'm not sure there's any market for it except maybe as a niche craft material. Before going to all the trouble, you may want to research this. Of course if you want the down for some personal use you have in mind, that may make it worth your trouble.

From what I've read, if I wanted it, I would try collecting it from my geese when I notice them beginning to molt. I'm told this doesn't seem at all traumatic to them if the time is right. If I found this to appear painful, then I would stop.

When the down is wet, it will stick to your fingers--it's a mess with chickens and turkeys (the big feathers don't cause this kind of trouble), so I can only imagine it with waterfowl. If you plan to pluck rather than skin, you will want to scald. I partially dry plucked a turkey several weeks ago, because my daughter wanted quills for pens and assorted other feathers for crafts. I would not want to have to do that very often.

I would absolutely want to scald for waterfowl, and perhaps dip in paraffin for the removal of the finer feathers. From the YouTube videos I've watched, it doesn't look like anyone gets all the fine plumage out as one does with turks and chickens.

 

[MeganFair]

So, I have culled several ducks and had the idea to keep the down to make pillows and quilts and I have to tell ya, I ultimately decided not to try that again. But, if you're determined, here's my two cents.

You don't have to scald the duck to get the down off, but you will need to either secure the carcass or have someone help you. I didn't do Muscovies, but I've plucked two Welsh Harlequins by hand, and you'll be able to get the stomach and side feathers and down off pretty easily. The tail, back, neck, and wings will be a pain in the tush though. If you scald, you will run into the problem that wet feathers and down stick like heck.

Probably the least troublesome way to do it would be to scald the carcass, use a drill plucker, and do it over a tarp in a place that's protected from wind. That way you can sift through the feathers on the tarp, and discard any feathers you don't want. I will warn you though, that if you don't have a way to hang up the carcass over the tarp, the poor volunteer who has to hold the bird will be covered in feathers. I know this from experience.

 

[MeganFair]

@CindyinSD Okay, I've done both ducks and chickens by now, and I found that the worst things about ducks is the wing feathers. Those were more difficult to get off than the chicken wing feathers by far, but the biggest thing is ducks just have more feathers than chickens. Using a drill plucker we were able to pluck a chicken in three or four minutes. A duck took a little longer because of the down and the wings.

 

[Ratchnick]

You can put wet feathers in a bucket and wash with dawn, then put in a pillow case, spin out as much water as you can then toss in the dryer on low. Don't let other people steer you wrong, high quality down is still the best insulator known to man for all sorts of garments. The reason it is not used is because of price. Costco and others sell cheep low quality Chinese down. Older birds in cold climate produce the most down. Goose down is better then duck, i suspect duck is better then muscovy but I'm not sure.

 

[Dougdilman]

You can put wet feathers in a bucket and wash with dawn, then put in a pillow case, spin out as much water as you can then toss in the dryer on low. Don't let other people steer you wrong, high quality down is still the best insulator known to man for all sorts of garments. The reason it is not used is because of price. Costco and others sell cheep low quality Chinese down. Older birds in cold climate produce the most down. Goose down is better then duck, i suspect duck is better then muscovy but I'm not sure.

Good post

And if you add dishsoap to your scalding water the down comes out with almost no pulling, you can almost wipe the down off the skin. The soap lets the scalding water through the oils and actualy reach the skin

i use a huge 10 gallon cook pot and add about 7 drops of dishsoap, and after scalding i rinse in fresh water just to make sure no soap gets on the meat

 

[Beaglegal]

It sounds to me like OP wants to harvest the down for later use. Unless you have a way to secure the duck firmly, upside-down. this will be really hard to do. So figure that out and then try it. I have never dressed out a duck, but I hear they're very challenging to pluck--one reason I'm vacillating about trying them as meat birds.

I'm not sure I'd try to collect the down. Modern insulating garments/comforters are more effective and less expensive and easier to care for than down. I'm not sure down is still as valuable as it once was. I'm not sure there's any market for it except maybe as a niche craft material. Before going to all the trouble, you may want to research this. Of course if you want the down for some personal use you have in mind, that may make it worth your trouble.

From what I've read, if I wanted it, I would try collecting it from my geese when I notice them beginning to molt. I'm told this doesn't seem at all traumatic to them if the time is right. If I found this to appear painful, then I would stop.

When the down is wet, it will stick to your fingers--it's a mess with chickens and turkeys (the big feathers don't cause this kind of trouble), so I can only imagine it with waterfowl. If you plan to pluck rather than skin, you will want to scald. I partially dry plucked a turkey several weeks ago, because my daughter wanted quills for pens and assorted other feathers for crafts. I would not want to have to do that very often.

I would absolutely want to scald for waterfowl, and perhaps dip in paraffin for the removal of the finer feathers. From the YouTube videos I've watched, it doesn't look like anyone gets all the fine plumage out as one does with turks and chickens.

I still love a good down jacket... gotta say, even if it’s a hassle. Probably wouldn’t try to make my own though

 

[Ratchnick]

What i have not figured out yet is how to separate the down from the feathers