Eating the Ducks

[sirchrisd]

I've been looking on the forum here and can't quite find the answer I'm looking for. I would like to know at about what age is good to eat a duck. I know it will be different for each duck, but is there an age that's too old? I have some Rouens that are about 3months old and honestly smaller than what I would think an edible duck would be. Besides, I'm wanting to get some chicks from them and grow the herd.

 

[Oregon Blues]

You want to butcher when the bird is fully feathered, so you don't have to pick off lots of pin feathers. That will be sometime between 6 and 10 weeks. Then again between 16 to 20 weeks.

There is no such thing as too old. You might have to change your cooking methods, is all. I've eaten some mighty fine wild ducks and there is no telling how old they might have been.

Rouens should be quite large. If yours are under-sized, I suggest that you obtain some better breeding stock if you want to raise a flock of meat birds.

 

[Wifezilla]

Agreed. I have eaten ducks a few months old and one a year old. They all tasted just fine to me. Even the smaller skinny ones make an excellent soup.