How do you process a duck?

[bantymum]

Well, I never thought that I would have to post in this topic!

I have 4 drakes which I cannot find homes for!
I am thinking about trying to release them to someone who has a property with a dam.
Has anyone done this?
Tried to release them into the wild?
They can fly now, and im not clipping wings in case i do decide to release them.
I dont get how domestic ducks can transfer disease to wild ducks!
They are the same creature, can anyone enlighten me.
Anyhow, Plan B)
Ed wants to have roast duck or something similar.
I told him to do it when im not there and to do it far away from the others.
How would he prepare them for the stove?
Skinning? or plucking?
I have one duck and her husband and their offspring which are the drakes.
This isnt good for the vibe in the garden.
I wish to have just the mum and dad and collect eggs so i dont have any more ducklings to try and rehome.
Im really torn here.
would appreciate some input.

 

[ilovemychickies]

Hi! I have no idea how you process a duck. I bet that someone else will be able to help you though. Sorry that I'm not much of a help!

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Releasing domestics into the wild is not a good idea. They can't addapt and the eco-system may be thrown out of balance by them being there. Mostly they just suffer in the end due to not being able to find the right food or shelter (they don't have the instincts for it or the eco-system can't prvide for their needs) or by not knowing to migrate at the right time.

Processing a duck is the same as chicken. Many links here to explain. Just if your plucking add some parifin to the scalding water to help bunch up the feathers so they are easier to pluck. That step is harder in ducks than chickens.

 

[Dodgegal79]

I sent mine out, I couldn't do it myself. It was hard enough for my friend and I to leave them at the butcher, they were quacking and looking at use, we almost cried, but they do cause too much trouble and it can get bad for your other ducks with too many drakes. Your doing the right thing. There should be lots of links to do it your self sites. Just remember that they are harder to pluck, I read some where to add a bit a dish soap to the water to get the water to penetrate the feather when scalding.

 

[professor_yellow]

Sometimes I will skin the ducks instead of pluck them. I get used to the idea when my friends and I would ho duck hunting for a weekend and then have to process dozens in below freezing weather.

Now I raise them. I do not chop heads either. My method of dispatching is to hold them and calm them in my arms, petting the head and neck. Quickly I grab the neck at the base of the head, and give them a quick jerk downward, dislocating the neck but keeping the skin intact. Hang them upside down to bleed. Very quick and they dont know what happened.

Once hung, remove wing at first joint, and dunk repeatedly in water hot to touch but not boiling. if the feathers bunch from oils a little dish soap will help penetrate. Dunk then start peeling off feathers from the base working towards the head. You will see a lot of hairs. To remove, pat dry the plucked bird and then use a little hand held torch to singe them off quickly.
Remove the feet, head and then make the insiccion to remove the insides.

Rince well and you are done.

Good luck!

 

[bantymum]

Thankyou so very much for replies.
Well a lot has happened in the last 24 hours.
I have found 2 lovely homes for them.
They both have large safe dams on their properties.
Both have domestic ducks and geese on there already.
They live on weeds and bugs and are very happy.
I placed a free ad locally online and got these replies.
Im very relieved, now I have to break the news to my DH that he isnt going to have roast Duck after all.
I need the duck run to separate the white silkies from the buffs as they are starting to mate.
I have people wanting fertilised eggs from them and they dont want mixed colours!!!!
Thankyou!!!!

 

[bantymum]

I feel horrible.
A man phoned me this morning and wanted to come and have a look at Ze duuuuck, "French accent" I said Ok but they are not eating size, he says thats ok, i want dem as petz.
He came, he saw, he bought, my duck and drake pair. He insisted that they are for his son as pets to go with the chooks and I looked him in the eye and saw thruth to his word.
No more baby ducks for me.
As much as I loved them, Ive had over a year of raising them. They werent tame so it wasnt too hard to say goodbye.
They were also ganging up on poor Goldilocks and plucking her, meanies. And if they flew out of their run and into the backyard, Poor Goldilocks would run and hide in the coop.
Now the 4 little drakes are going to their beautiful new home tommorrow morning.
It has a river going into a big dam with an island in the middle. Several varieties of ducks and geese.
So come tommorrow, i will have no more duckies.
Am I nutz. I feel guilty about the mum and dad duck, I have misplaced the buyers ph number so I cant even ring to see how they are settling in. I keep thinking about them and hope they are happy, its breaking my heart , but i know it will be easier for me soon.
Its too hard to keep ducks in the city/town. I need my backyard to be somewhat clean.