Meat ducks

[FarmrGirl]

Quote:
No... I like to keep the skin on because I usually sell a bunch to offset the cost of raising them and I like the cripsy skin (mmmmmmm...

). Besides, I have a plucker machine and it makes quick work (10 seconds for chickens, 30 seconds for ducks) of the feathers. With the ducks I have to do a small amount of hand picking after I get them out of the plucker machine but it's only and extra couple of minutes. With the Muscovy I keep plyers on hand to pull out the flight feathers... they're tough!

 

[Oregon Blues]

My son tried skinning a duck that had a lot of pin feathers. Young ducks are difficult to skin, and I don't think it is any more work to pluck them. The skin will not pull off and every molecule has to be cut off; it's on there really tight.

 

[FarmrGirl]

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Blues, you totally crack me up!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

so by 12 weeks is the best time to process? wish we could afford one of those pluckers but they are so dog gone expensive, and we don't process lots of birds either.

 

[FarmrGirl]

Quote:
12 weeks is best for Muscovy and Cayuga. Could be different for other ducks.

Yes! I process about 100 birds between spring and late fall so I love that plucker machine... Mine is stainless steel and holds 3 or 4 big chickens. I got it on a black friday sale last year for $500 - I couldn't have built a plastic tub plucker for much less. You can always check with your county extension to see if they have processing equipment for rent. Or check here: http://www.featherman.net/rentals.html to see if anyone is renting a featherman in your area.

Even if you only have 10 Muscovy to harvest, paying $75 for a weekend rental is totally worth it not to spend an hour plucking one duck.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
12 weeks is best for Muscovy and Cayuga. Could be different for other ducks.

Yes! I process about 100 birds between spring and late fall so I love that plucker machine... Mine is stainless steel and holds 3 or 4 big chickens. I got it on a black friday sale last year for $500 - I couldn't have built a plastic tub plucker for much less. You can always check with your county extension to see if they have processing equipment for rent. Or check here: http://www.featherman.net/rentals.html to see if anyone is renting a featherman in your area.

Even if you only have 10 Muscovy to harvest, paying $75 for a weekend rental is totally worth it not to spend an hour plucking one duck. http://serve.mysmiley.net/confused/confused0083.gif

Thanks for the info never thought about renting a plucker.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

we've processed a few of our Ancona drakes. They weren't as meaty as we would like (thus we are working on more muscling), but the taste was divine.

At what age did you process your Ancona drakes?

I have a trio of Ancona. While I don't plan to incubate eggs - I mostly want them for baking - I may let a broody hen hatch some, or the ducks themselves if they decide they want to.
If they do hatch eggs I will probably fatten up a few for the freezer. I love duck thousands of ways.

What's your plan for improving the muscling? http://www.smileyfaces.ws/smileys/thinking/animated-smileys-thinking-20.gif

I would also like to know your thoughts (or the panel's

) on this subject.

I hope we don't "ruffle any feathers" having this chat outside of the meat birds thread. It is really interesting though.​

 

[iajewel]

The Muscovy is really the #1 meat duck, and for many reasons. They grow fast, they have twice the breast size, less fat and the flavor is very much unlike other types of duck.
Cleaning ducks takes a trick. I know allot of people have trouble with it.
The trick is to have a pot of boiling water twice the size of your duck. That way you can get it fully submerged. Then work the duck back and forth in the water to get the water under the down. Ducks are made to keep water out, not let it in, so you may need rubber gloves to protect you from the heat, and rub the feathers back wards to get the water under the down. A stick also works. When all the bubbles are done and you don't see them anymore, your duck is probably close. Start with the wings, then tail as these are the hardest places and don't let them cool. If you need to double dip the duck, thats ok. Just make sure the water isn't as hot the second time around. You don't want to cook the skin you now have exposed. It takes as long to pluck a duck as it does a chicken if you get the skin wet, and water under all that down.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Thats interesting, we've plucked a many a roo but never a duck and I always thought it was alot longer and harder to pluck a duck.

 

[iajewel]

If you don't get them wet all the way through with hot water, its a night mare. Allot of people use paraffin too, but I can't stand using the wax