Processing Muscovys...help?

[UrbanFarmerGreg]

I am just wondering about processing some muscovy ducks that are about 6 months old. I don't have them but a friend of the family has offered me his 7+1 pekin for $20, I don't have room in the backyard but i have lots of room in the freezer... the only problem is I have never 'processed' my own birds. I am up to the challange, at least I think I am, and would like to do it for the experience as well. Does anybody think I should go for it or just stick to buying chicken from the market? any tips on how to process. Any advice is welcome. They would have to be hand plucked as I don't want to spend any extra money...

 

[justbugged]

I am a very squeamish girl, but I do help when we process birds. You will get through it. It helps to have a kill cone. We use a old traffic cone. We also skin the birds, and after letting the meat rest, I de-bone the meat before freezing.

 

[jdywntr]

Check in the meat birds section. You won't find much info/advice here.

Most folks in the ducks section are talking pets but there is plenty of info in meat birds. Good luck, I will be processing my first soon too.

 

[kuntrygirl]

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[hossfeathers]

I think there are a number of us with meat & egg ducks here, but I would second the suggestion to check the meat birds section. A forum search of 'butcher ducks' brings up a number of threads there.

 

[nes]

It's not as bad as you think it's going to be - I had to do in one of our turkeys for Thanksgiving. Latex gloves help with the cleaning parts.

It's definitely better to get someone experienced to help you, or at least show you how to do it in person, but there are tons of YouTube videos etc.

GL!

 

[Oregon Blues]

6 months is an excellent age to butcher Muscovy. It's about the same as doing chickens. Scalding water is a bit hotter. Plucking takes a little longer. It's well worth the work and that is a smokin' good deal on the price.

One more to advise to go check in the meat bird section.

 

[UrbanFarmerGreg]

So I have been searching in the forums here and have found a lot of info about butchering and processing. I also have found someone who generally processes meat kings and is going to show me how he does them... but he also said we should probably just skin them. I am wondering since the ducks are 6 months if the pinfeathers would be easier to get out or if there are less of them.... any comments or suggestions on what I should do? and I don't want anyone to tell me to move it to the meat bird section...thanks

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
I can't speak about ducks but I can tell you when we processed our roos my dh skinned them and it was much easier than plucking. and kuntrygirl said they skinned their muscovies and it was easier.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I can't speak about ducks but I can tell you when we processed our roos my dh skinned them and it was much easier than plucking. and kuntrygirl said they skinned their muscovies and it was easier.

Ditto what Miss Lydia said.