Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Kassaundra]

I tried muskovy last week and oh my, it was good, it was like roast beef.

 

[Arielle]

My muscovy were about 10 weeks. Plenty big enough and breast meat was surprizingly meaty. Better than any chicken I have raised so far except for the cornish crosses. THese were flying for the last week or so. I was worried that the flying would toughen up the meat, so I kept to the original plan of 8-10 weeks old.

And of course 2 muscovy hens just showed up with 5 and 6 ducklings each!! Dang I was done processing ducks for the year!!! In 8 weeks these will join the birds in the freezer.

All my muscovy are skittish and I raised every one from a week old. THey are not as domesticated IMO as perhaps other fowl. I do like that once they know "home" the mother hens return with the ducklings every night for lock up.

Had a leg for lunch.

To me duck is different than beef . . . . and I love both!

 

[Tomtommom]

My muscovy were about 10 weeks. Plenty big enough and breast meat was surprizingly meaty. Better than any chicken I have raised so far except for the cornish crosses. THese were flying for the last week or so. I was worried that the flying would toughen up the meat, so I kept to the original plan of 8-10 weeks old.

And of course 2 muscovy hens just showed up with 5 and 6 ducklings each!! Dang I was done processing ducks for the year!!! In 8 weeks these will join the birds in the freezer.

All my muscovy are skittish and I raised every one from a week old. THey are not as domesticated IMO as perhaps other fowl. I do like that once they know "home" the mother hens return with the ducklings every night for lock up.

Had a leg for lunch.

To me duck is different than beef . . . . and I love both!

I can't even get near mine

I touched them the day I got them and that was it. No wait, I touched one briefly two days ago when she was freaking out trying to go THROUGH the fence.

Guess it makes sense for them to have a negative point, because there's just so many positives about them.

I need to figure out who's male, who's female... hate to eat the only female on accident

I've got 4.... I hope to keep a few female and buy a male from different bloodlines..

 

[Arielle]

Quote: If I might suggest . . . . keep all four. Use all for breeding to get some variety in the genetics, until you can get more. I have not had any problems doing this. All my stock comes from just one source and I have had to work around this too. I started with 1 male and 2 females and have worked up to 3 males and 9 females to winter over.

 

[Tomtommom]

If I might suggest . . . . keep all four. Use all for breeding to get some variety in the genetics, until you can get more. I have not had any problems doing this. All my stock comes from just one source and I have had to work around this too. I started with 1 male and 2 females and have worked up to 3 males and 9 females to winter over.

I gotta eat one, because I've never had muscovy. Don't want to find out I don't like it (doubt that!) or find some other reason why they may not work for us (TOO hard to pluck?)

 

[Arielle]

Quote: My kids could not wait for ours to grow up so we bought a duck at the grocery.

As for plucking, the fine down feathers are a challenge. I hand pluck, no device or machine to assist so I depend on very hot water and my fingers.

THe boys grow much bigger than the girls.

 

[Tomtommom]

My kids could not wait for ours to grow up so we bought a duck at the grocery.

As for plucking, the fine down feathers are a challenge. I hand pluck, no device or machine to assist so I depend on very hot water and my fingers.

THe boys grow much bigger than the girls.

I hand pluck my chickens too.




I suspect the one in focus to be a male, with the others being female.



He just was just growing his wings in when I got them at 8 weeks old.

 

[Arielle]

THey are pretty.

Part of the reason I did not eat any of the first 3 birds I purchased was because my kids made them into pets. We dont eat our pets. I really suggest that you keep all these as breeder birds, then hatch out the first eggs next spring and grow them up for 8 weeks and test those. It took me a few tries to get my cleaning techniques down pat so I has happy with the speed and the out come. THe first few were a challenge and I had to learn what worked for me. A lot of crew ups. One bird was not enough to learn how to do this. OTherwise I already knew I loved duck!!

After the trio, a year or two later I bought a couple more ducklings and kept one female and one male from the group From this years babies I have kept one that is a favorite but it is likely a male, darn it. I have 11 more ducklings growing out now, which I could keep one or two but I'm trying not to. Trying . . . .lol I"m such a sucker for cuteness . . .

 

[chicken pickin]

I cooked up a rooster today. I slow cooked it all day in buffalo hot sauce. Tonight I shredded the chicken up and made homemade buffalo chicken pizza. Mmmmmmm it was soooooo yummy!!!

 

[Arielle]

I cooked up a rooster today. I slow cooked it all day in buffalo hot sauce. Tonight I shredded the chicken up and made homemade buffalo chicken pizza. Mmmmmmm it was soooooo yummy!!!

Do you use a homemade or a bottled buffalo hot sauce? if bottled, what brand name?