Ducks not reaching good weight for slaughter

[Hadynt]

Hi all, firstly I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea so if there is a more appropriate section please let me know!

We have hatched out a number of ducks(at the moment cherry valley a kind of Pekin duck) and have now slaughtered the drakes @20weeks. I was expecting them to dress out to be a few kilos - they looked huge! However once they were slaughtered and dressed they only came to 1.1kg.

They were fed on crumb then duck and goose grower mix and since 16weeks they have been in the mixed flock with half and half layers and duck and goose growers.

What have I done wrong to get these low weights as we will raise some more in the future?

Thanks

 

[DuneDucks]

Did you split the drakes up from the girls before they got hormonal? I have some ducks around the same age and split the boys from the girls about a month ago, and to say the drakes haven't taken it well would be an understatement. They run around, eat less, and are just generally more anxious/stressed out. It's helped some having them completely out of sight of the girls the last couple weeks, but they still aren't eating as well as I'd like. In terms of weight, they look and feel pitiful compared to my drake who has stayed with the girls the entire time. If I were to raise meat birds in the future they'd be getting separated as soon as they identified as male.

You might try posting in the Meat Birds section too. Not that this is an inappropriate spot, you'll probably just be seen/answered by people with a little more experience on the subject over there.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Hello! I just looked up what the expected weight at harvest is, and yours do seem on the small size. You didn't say how much they were getting, or if they had access to anything else during the day.
What were the carcasses like? Was there a good amount of fat on them? I would suspect they weren't getting their share when moved in with the mixed stock, but I'd need more info.

 

[addctd2plnts]

I don't raise ducks for slaughter but have some observations that might help you. Animals eat less in the hot summer months. If I was raising for slaughter, I think I'd have them delivered in July/August. Then come September they will really be eating in the cooler weather to get ready for winter. I'd feed Mazuri Waterfowl Starter feed, maybe for the whole 16 weeks. As I understand it, it promotes more rapid growth and has a higher calorie and protein content. In the fall/winter we add about a cup of a mix to their feed for extra energy and fat gain: shelled black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts (sold for bird/squirrel feed, Black Soldier Fly larva. Then I'd feed any extra eggs I had around back to them for the higher fat content.

My ducks are for show and pets. We have them in converted predator proofed stalls in the winter, till February/March. They gain weight in late Nov when whenever the weather stops us from putting them out daily. I've noticed they immediately slim down as soon as we start putting them outside to forage, although we keep them in 9x12' movable pens and move it every day. Maybe it;s because it's breeding season or maybe it's because they eat more fresh food that is less in calories, but they lose weight and seem to eat just a bit less than the winter.

Hope this helps....
Holly

 

[Canadian Wind]

I don't raise ducks for slaughter but have some observations that might help you. Animals eat less in the hot summer months. If I was raising for slaughter,

Very true, and considering the heat that the UK has had this summer, that might be the issue right there!

 

[Hadynt]

Hi sorry I missed my notifications ‍♂.

So they were kept with the mixed flock until a week before slaughter. Interestingly the roosters that I dispatched at the same time (random cross and a speckled Sussex who were the same age) both weighed around 1.4kg when dressed.

They had access to the mix of layers and growers all day and I did supplement with some veggies and they free ranged. They always seemed to be first to the feeders in the morning and scoffed their faces .

We don't specifically raise for meat but do process the roosters/drakes when I can't find them other homes. I have 4 khaki Campbell drakes that will go in the freezer soonish but would like a decent weight out of them! I've just picked up some of our jersey giant roosters that are younger and they seem to weigh a decent amount already. Just the ducks that aren't putting on weight but otherwise look healthy.