How can I slim down my Duck?

[duckfat]

Was that a JM Hatchery muscovy? They were designed to be big, meaty birds. I'm asking this because he does not look overweight to me. My JM Hatchery drakes are close to 20 pounds. He looks meaty to me.

I have slaughtered a lot of JM Hatchery muscovies, and I haven't run across any that I would consider obese. In other words, I don't get much duck fat from a muscovy. Have you felt him yet? Does he feel fat, especially around the ribs and vent, or can you feel some bones?

Here is one of my drakes:

 

[Wifezilla]

Calorie restriction seldom works long term. It destroys muscle. If you lower the protein percentage, you increase the things in the diet that are making your pet fat.

The key to getting a dog or cat to lose weight is to get them off of grains.

 

[K4zn4v3]

Quote:
I actually got him from a local fair for 2 dollars. I have always guessed that he was from jm hatcheries because they are the only place near that sells white muscovies. The only reason I doubt he is from jm hatcheries is becuase he doesnt have a black cap on his head. The guy I talked too at jm hatcheries said all there duck head black heads. He wasnt the smartest character though. I actually called them and they let me drive up and get a single female instead of muying a minimum of 15. She is very healty and slim but she is only 4 months old. The other problem I am having with my drake is that he has not molted his flight feathers. He is 2 years old and he still has oringinal juvenile flight feathers. He molts his other feathers just not his flight feathers.

 

[duckfat]

Quote:
The black cap goes away when they get older. Muscovy drakes, especially this meaty, aren't the best at walking around. Much like a Cornish X meat bird. Personally I wouldn't bother with putting your drake on a diet because I don't think he is fat.

These white muscovy hens are all from JM Hatchery:

 

[duckfat]

Quote:
Furthermore, if you are from Pennsylvania then your drake can use extra carbohydrates to see him through a northern winter. I tend to feed mine a little extra whole corn just for this purpose.

 

[K4zn4v3]

Quote:
Furthermore, if you are from Pennsylvania then your drake can use extra carbohydrates to see him through a northern winter. I tend to feed mine a little extra whole corn just for this purpose.

Thank you have cleared that up for me. my 4 month old female just molted again and her cap got a lot smaller so I was wondering if they would molt that out, now I know they do. I have decided to start feeding on a schedule, and when its gets warmer I am going to move his water outside and further away. Right now the food and water are kept about 4 feet away in their insulated box. Do you have any more pictures of your ducks from j.m. hatcheries. When did your ducks start flying up and landing on things like the fence in the picture. Right now my female will only fly short distances like 1 foot off the ground.

 

[duckfat]

Well, I hatched out a sexed pair of ducklings and won Best of Show at the county fair last year. Those are call ducks to the right.

The females began flying well after six months or so. They practiced a lot.

My ducks always have food available.

 

[yajokz]

It's mostly corn.