Walk me through plucking ducks.....

[doubleatraining]

This board is wonderful and walked me through processing my first CX a little over a year ago. Now I process almost monthly and am teaching friends/neighbors how to raise their own meat birds too.

A good friend of mine has muscovies and has been taking her extra drakes to the auction. I have never had duck and would like to try and she has offered me all the drakes I want.

I plan on slitting the throat and letting them bleed out like I do the chickens.

I have NO idea how to pluck them, what to use, etc. The first drake I'm going to pluck the chest then carve out the breast meat to try first. I know this seems like a waste but the dog will really enjoy the left overs and I feel like its a waste if I don't even like it.

Please educate me!!

 

[Ibicella]

It's pretty much like plucking a chicken, except a bit tougher because you have to get through their waterproofed feathers and tough pin feathers.

Get some paraffin wax (you should find it near the canning supplies of your local grocery store) and set it into a pot of hot water. The water should be hot enough to melt the wax, but not hot enough to boil the water.

Roughly pluck the duck of whatever feathers come out easily. Then using the duck's neck or feet as a handle, dunk the bird into the melted wax a few times to ensure good coverage.

Immediately put into a bucket of cold water for 10-15 minutes to allow the wax to harden.

Once the wax has hardened, peel it like an orange.

Some people do this with three pots. One of regular scalding water with dish soap to help with the rough plucking, then into the wax for the pin feathers, and then into the cold water to harden.

But you should come out with a nice clean bird.

 

[doubleatraining]

Does the wax ruin the pot? Is it easy to wash out of the pot?