My DH likes duck meat, but I have never tried any, YET ! I guess I'm gonna find out, with 150 of those over-producers out back! LOL We have mostly Rouen, which is suppose to be lean meat for a duck and also some Pekin, and of course they made a few mixed, my DH call his Rouenkings, because they are larger than either parent. I have read that the duck fat is the best part, but what do you use it for? Frying? Like lard? Anyway I told him I would like to keep a couple dozen of each pure bred on the 2 ponds for mosquitoes control mostly and the eggs for hatching from time to time as people want the ducklings for their pond and my brother has a pond on 40 acres where raises steers, so I will be bringing him some on Thanksgiving, for his pond, not eating, we have lots of turkeys for Thanksgiving, fried turkey, baked turkey, smoked turkey, beef roast, hams, venison, but not ducks. I am the oldest of 8 and with the kids and grand kids and I think a few have great grand babies, well it's usually about 100 of us when we all get together for the holidays. Anyway, I told DH I would learn how to pluck a duck, so I guess I will. Thanks, you are so nice!I only have 2 Black Copper Maran Roos. No extra. Sorry. As far as the ducks, we just skin them. It's way easier than plucking. We found that out the first time we tried to pluck 35 Muscovys.Ducks are soooooooooooooooooo good!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can just imagine all the hatching, culling and perfecting you would have to do and are doing. I read somewhere that they are or were a great duel purpose heavy breed, raised for both meat and eggs and were really delicious. The egg part I'm not so concerned about as a lot of chickens lay almost every day, nor the fancy show part, as I am utilitarian by nature, but the meat part interests me, as I cull my extra roos for meat. Thanks for the info and good luck with your project. I know you will have yourself a great chicken when you are finished!Celie I am in the process of making(remaking) Delawares, a project I'm in on with a lady in MO but I will be probly 3 more years(generations) down the road before they are finalized. I have some Ideal Delawares they are good layers but poor in type for Dels which is so very common (the norm). Delawares have been so mixed and jumbled up by the factories they no longer represent the breed any longer just the same with most hatchery quality stock they have the patterns and colors down pat and also the egg laying skills are superb, but the intended qualities are lacking severely. So therefore when we get done they will be as per their standard calls for. She is on her F3 generation with hers and they are looking awesome. I will be starting up my F2s this hatching season. I got along way to go still yet I'm going just a bit different route than she did but will end up with the same results just maybe a little less hatching (I hope) F2 results in a Delaware type (1 in 200) it takes a lot of time and eggs and FEED too LOL
Jeff
But what about the oils in the feathers and all the hairy down on their breasts, how do you deal with plucking oily feathers? I have plucked chickens and turkeys, but not very familiar with the water fowl plucking and down feathers!Pot of hot water dip them in and the feathers come off really easy. Just be careful not to get burned.
Thanks everybody, I just love you guys, you are all so nice !