Jumbo Pekins worth the time?

[protodon]

I was thinking about getting Jumbo Pekins this spring to butcher because they supposedly grow larger. I never see anyone that has them though and I wondered why. I was looking on Metzer and they sell them. Acoording to their website it says they can be 10 - 13 pounds. Originally I thought this was somewhere around 8 - 10 weeks of age. But if you look in their print catalog, or jus tthe pdf on their website, it says "at 18 weeks"

Is it even worth keeping a meat duck around that long just for those couple extra pounds? I've never butchered a duck but from what I understand regular Pekins can be anywhere from 8 to 10 pounds at 8 weeks. Is that really what people have seen?

 

[Cara]

Regular Pekins grow fast, but i've never had one close to 8-10lbs in 8 weeks. Considering they weigh less than a pound for the first 2-3 weeks, they would have to put on nearly two pounds a week to reach that weight. Sometimes I wonder where these figures come from.

I haven't had any of the Jumbos. I was thinking about ordering a drake to improve the size of our regular Pekins, although we felt so bad after eating the first one that I doubt we will again. For some reason ducks are a lot harder to part with.

 

[protodon]

I obviously don't speak from experience when ti comes to the weight. I also agree with the harder to part with thing. Which is why I am going with Pekins specifically for meat and I will just jump right in and butcher them all when the time comes. Well unless I keep some breeders. I already made the mistake of hatching my own crosses meat possibly and keeping them around too long. 20 ducks later and I've still yet to butcher one. I think they are harder to part with because of the cute factor and also the fact that they all stick together in their little groups.

Chickens on the other hand, while some are quite striking they are never really cute once grown and while they stick together in a lose group, they could care less if one of them gets eaten by something.

I'd also like to butcher some geese but parting with them would be even more difficult than ducks because they have everything the ducks have plus a stronger personality.

 

[Wifezilla]

This is why I have yet to butcher a duck...

We'll see if I change my mind in the spring when the girls all go broody and I am over run!