How old to butcher

[digger MN]

Picked up 12 ducklings, my luck I got 12 drakes. They are mallards. How old do they have to be to butcher???

 

[DarkWolf]

8 weeks when they start throwing their juvenile feathers and before they get their adult feathers in. Will make things easier. Though you can wait longer till they fill out more, at around 3 months tops; I'd say. To save time and trouble you could just skin them at that age.