Saxony Duck processing

[jdorfee]

I just slaughtered and processed 15 of our batch of Saxony Ducks
Report (all weights are dressed)
Largest 5.13lbs
Smallest 3.64lbs
Average 4.31lbs

16% protein wks 1-3
19% protein wks 4-12.5

145degrees 3minutes scald
A few pin feathers to deal with

 

[MallardMama]

...what? Does this belong on this site? I'm new. o_o That seems terrible, poor ducks.

 

[jdorfee]

Mallard mama,
Do you eat meat? Do you think the food in the grocery store gets there magically? Why do you raise mallards? Are they pets for you?

If you do raise them as pets, I am not here to criticize. Do a search on BYC for meaties, broilers, or processing. Yes it belongs

Have a nice day

 

[mystry]

Yes, MallardMama, it does belong. Although not everyone raises their ducks for meat, some do. There is a bit of pride in it also knowing you have home raised meat that is usually above the grocery store standard. But, then again, I am biased since I was raised on a farm and didn't know you didn't get milk from the neighbors and meat either from the deer you shot in the fall or the beef or pig you butchered until I went to school.
You don't have to agree with what everyone else does, I think that we would just ask that you do not criticize our methods and what we do. If you do not like animals for meat, this also may not be the forum for you as I know they do post about it. There are plenty of sites on the internet dedicated to "animal rights". I am not saying whether I agree or not. I will say I do think some are extreme though and leave it at that.

 

[PoultryQueen101]

Awws, I really want some saxony ducks, they are so beautiful! Not for meat though, I would never be able to butcher anything but broilers and pigs xD... but for pond ducks because we only have 8 and only 3 of them like to swim.

Thats interesting, if we could find someone who has them, we will make sure they dont get overweight.

 

[LilyD]

jdorfee ~ I have a processing question for you.

When you process your ducks do you use duck wax? Also what age did you process them at? I have my first batch of ducks this year and will be processing extras this fall. I purchased duck wax because I thought it was necessary but is it possible to process a duck without it and still keep the skin on?

Thanks for you help.

As a fellow processor who raises all her own meat I can say that I appreciate the post as it answers a lot of the questions that I had about processing ducks for my first time.

For others who are saying this is the wrong place for this I can tell you I am also on the meat birds thread and for the most part if you post questions or comments about ducks there you are told to post here since the meat birds thread is primarily for chickens.

I had a hard time getting any answers for ducks or turkeys there so I skulk around to try and find the information I need throughout the site.

 

[jdorfee]

I apologize for my choice of words, I had initially said it was pointless because A) As I mentioned it belongs in a different section of the forum, B) has no context so it's a bit confusing, and C) because you're being rather unpleasant towards the other members here. I don't know what I'm reading? I've raised meat birds since I was a kid, but since all you list are base numbers, that doesn't really tell anyone anything at all. So it's not tremendously helpful.

We're a pretty tight-knit, happy community, but since you're so new, I just don't think it's all that productive to come straight out the gate and act so snarky towards other established members as you have. :/ You could be wording things far more nicely than you have been, is all I'm saying.

In the future, please go here for all meat bird inquiries or topics: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/21/meat-birds-etc

I have no intention to be snarky. Other members posted here criticizing my posting is all. I don't post any comments on "house ducks" topics because my comments don't belong there.

 

[jdorfee]

Awws, I really want some saxony ducks, they are so beautiful! Not for meat though, I would never be able to butcher anything but broilers and pigs xD... but for pond ducks because we only have 8 and only 3 of them like to swim.

Thats interesting, if we could find someone who has them, we will make sure they dont get overweight.

I will have eggs over the winter I could send some.

 

[jdorfee]

jdorfee ~ I have a processing question for you.

When you process your ducks do you use duck wax? Also what age did you process them at? I have my first batch of ducks this year and will be processing extras this fall. I purchased duck wax because I thought it was necessary but is it possible to process a duck without it and still keep the skin on?

Thanks for you help.

As a fellow processor who raises all her own meat I can say that I appreciate the post as it answers a lot of the questions that I had about processing ducks for my first time.

For others who are saying this is the wrong place for this I can tell you I am also on the meat birds thread and for the most part if you post questions or comments about ducks there you are told to post here since the meat birds thread is primarily for chickens.

I had a hard time getting any answers for ducks or turkeys there so I skulk around to try and find the information I need throughout the site.

I used no wax at all. Water about 145-160 degrees, dunk vigorously for 3 minutes. They came pretty clean. You'll need to pull some pin feathers a bit but the secret is to harvest when they're in full feathers, not in molt.

You need to harvest at 8 weeks or at 12.5 weeks. 12.5 will provide a meatier carcass

If I had it to do over, I'd go with Pekins

 

[LilyD]

I used no wax at all. Water about 145-160 degrees, dunk vigorously for 3 minutes. They came pretty clean. You'll need to pull some pin feathers a bit but the secret is to harvest when they're in full feathers, not in molt.

You need to harvest at 8 weeks or at 12.5 weeks. 12.5 will provide a meatier carcass

If I had it to do over, I'd go with Pekins

I have muscovies and they are 7 weeks right now and pretty much the same size as my Khaki Campbells for the most part except for a few of the smaller girls (at least I think they are girls we aren't sure yet) I had heard many different processing times. Some people even say that they wait until 6 months to process. I want to keep 2 drakes and 6 to 8 girls depending on how many I have for breeding for next year but I have 16 total and the others will need to be processed. The biggest problem is I am still not totally sure who the boys and girls are. Hopefully by 12 weeks I will know and can choose the ones I will keep so we can process the others.

We also have a 1 year old drake that needs to be processed as well so I will be using him as my practice run before I do more than one.

Another question, do you free range your meat ducks or do you keep them confined? I have people telling me to keep them in a small area so that they don't get tough.

Thanks for your help.