Is it wrong?

[jdywntr]

I would go to the meat birds section. You will still get many opinions. Axe, broom, knife. You will have to decide what you are comfortable with. I am not familiar with your area but if you have any more rural areas nearby, you may be able to give them to someone to process for you (if you would be able to eat them yourself) or someone that will take them for free and process them for their table.

You can find much info on culling. Search for "slaughter" of "butcher" as you find more info that way. (I have been looking into this myself but hope to find someone who can teach me before I attempt the first)

If you don't want them eaten then call a vet and have them euthanized.

 

[dianaross77]

I would try calling some local abbatoirs or butchers (if they don't process poultry, I bet they'll know who does). Here we have independent meat processors that can dispatch and clean livestock. It would be a shame for the meat to go to waste.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
we haven't processed any of our ducks just our extra roosters, my dh uses a sharp ax and chops off their heads, this last time he skinned them and it was much faster than plucking. go to the meat birds thread on BYC and you find all the best ways to deal with this, there was a lady names kuntrygirl that was processing alot of ducks over the weekend and said she was going to post on the meatbirds thread after because they were going to skin this time. Maybe you'll be able to find someone to do it for you if you find it too hard. I am thankful my dh is here to do it, but if I had to I would be able to.

 

[Oddyse]

Thank you for all your help guys, I think the hardest part will be doing it and not how its done. Even though they turned out to be drakes, everytime I look at them I remember them all fluffy and chasing me around the kitchen. Little eyes that sparkle everytime they see me. But I guess I need to do what needs to be done. Thanks again everyone

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
your very welcome. sorry it has to be this way for you.

 

[Oddyse]

I keep thinking that the memory of the drakes being nice is better than the possible memory I could have of them killing/injuring my females. I also have a disabled male drake (broken leg when young, healed weird and now walks on the knee joint) which gets loads of hassle from the two older drakes in question. So overall, looking at the bigger picture, its definitely for the best. Thanks again evryone, especially Miss Lydia, its always good to have a cuddle, even if it is one sent through the magic of the internet

 

[m496]

Could you possibly build them a seperate smaller coop while you continue searching for a buyer? (even a small coop would be fine, just so that they could live:/ )

Just another possibility. hope you choose whats best

 

[animalpro24]

Quote:
Send them to the butcher?

 

[Fawkes]

Can't you try listing them on ads online or in the newspaper? If you advertise them a lot you're bound to find homes for them. Are they tame? If they are that will surely help with rehoming them.

 

[Oddyse]

Yes they are very very tame, thats the reason I will find it hard if I have to cull them. They run up to me and I couldnt bring myself to cull them unless I really really need to. I have them in a smaller pen at the moment and am still searching for a new home for them. But I have been trying for a while now with no luck.