should i clip wings on muscovy's raised for meat??

[muddymomma]

we're fairly new to raising muscovys. we've had one female hatch out her eggs and kept most of those to build our flock, along with some ducklings we purchased. now we have plenty of adults and the next babies will be destined for the freezer. we let our muscovys fly all over the place. they usually just go in big loops and right back home, though sometimes one will be gone for a while. we get a kick out of it and the ducks seem to enjoy flying so much i really hate to clip their wings. now the girls are laying like crazy and we have a few of the females sitting on their eggs. some of the new ducklings will likely not make it to flying age, but i'm sure others will. i'm wondering if flying will affect the flavor/texture of the meat? also, should we keep them penned and feed them or let them forage? we're looking for the best quality meat, feed costs are a consideration, but quality is the most important. not fond of the idea of penning them though... any help will be greatly appreciated!

 

[cukooformarans]

hmmmm... I don't know but would like to know. Anybody?

 

[yinepu]

we pinion all the muscovys when they are just babies.. and i can tell you from experience (helping my grandmother catch hers when I was a kid).. it's a lot harder to catch a flying muscovy at butchering time than it is one who can't fly away

from what I remember of hers (I never ate duck of any kind as a kid).. my parents would comment that her birds breast meat was a little on the stringy side

 

[muddymomma]

that's what i was wondering about. thanks!