Drake attacked his ducklings!

[Chucksandducks]

How old are the ducklings? If very young, I'd be inclined to remove daddy drake and put them back with mama duck. If they are weaned or near to be weaned then house them separately. I would also consider getting rid of the drake permanently

The ducklings are 3 weeks old. I have removed them all. Gertie is not interested she just follows Drake round like a love sick teenager!

 

[Chicalina]

It's early for her to wean them but sometimes it happens.

 

[the_peanut_coop]

The ducklings are 3 weeks old. I have removed them all. Gertie is not interested she just follows Drake round like a love sick teenager!

Ha... That's terrible. I've seen some pretty bad "love sick teen" duck cases, including drowned ducklings

 

[Chicalina]

I swear ducks have extra strong hormones

 

[U_Stormcrow]

We just turned our oldest drake into cream of duck soup with mushrooms and wild rice. He was over-mating the three adult hens, picking on the three juvenile males that hatched early this year, and biting at the necks of the newest hatch. We kept him alive just long enough to ensure I had a male to replace him with. The two smallest juvenile males made duck burgers. and sauteed duck breast. and Duck a l'orange on wild rice (source of the "extra" wild rice that ended up in the soup).

 

[the_peanut_coop]

We just turned our oldest drake into cream of duck soup with mushrooms and wild rice. He was over-mating the three adult hens, picking on the three juvenile males that hatched early this year, and biting at the necks of the newest hatch. We kept him alive just long enough to ensure I had a male to replace him with. The two smallest juvenile males made duck burgers. and sauteed duck breast. and Duck a l'orange on wild rice (source of the "extra" wild rice that ended up in the soup).

wow you were really hungry

 

[U_Stormcrow]

wow you were really hungry

Multiple meals. Oldest duck was almost 14 months, and 8.5# live weight. Soup, stew or sausage were the only reasonable possibilities. The two juveniles I took were 11 weeks or so, I forget the weights, but I set the breasts aside on one, made 4# of seasoned ground duck with the rest, and then started all the bones to cook down for the soup base.

 

[raingarden]

Spouse abuse is just part of being a drake.

 

[Cazook]

We just turned our oldest drake into cream of duck soup with mushrooms and wild rice. He was over-mating the three adult hens, picking on the three juvenile males that hatched early this year, and biting at the necks of the newest hatch. We kept him alive just long enough to ensure I had a male to replace him with. The two smallest juvenile males made duck burgers. and sauteed duck breast. and Duck a l'orange on wild rice (source of the "extra" wild rice that ended up in the soup).

how did you stop the meat from being tough? i roasted a drake and then made soup in the pressure cooker but even then it was still chewy. tasty though.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

how did you stop the meat from being tough? i roasted a drake and then made soup in the pressure cooker but even then it was still chewy. tasty though.

there was some chew. Less than I expected, but not none. While the stock cooked down, the breasts were seasoned and rested in the fridge for several days. Once the soup was otherwise ready, the breasts were diced small (not "fine", but not "hearty beef stew-sized cubes, either), added to the just simmering soup, and allowed to cook for a few hours.

Long aging helped. The fact that they didn't face boiling temps helped. The sheer amount of cream probably helps with mouthfeel as well.

Mostly, I was surprised myself. But if you take old bird and subject it to high dry heat, it squeezes moisture out you can never replace, and if it doesn't get an adequate rest, of course those proteins will never relax.

Truly though, we got lucky.