Welsh Harlequin - NC

[michaelinnc84]

Thanks Lydia. I am going to make an excel spreadsheet to track my ducks lineage and age and things like that. Hopefully it wont get overwhelming keeping up with all that info lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
It might take some work but if your going to try to sell and have quality stock it would probably be the way to go. I will be looking for new rooster next spring for my hens since they are all related and have had 2 off springs from this family, I know I can probably go longer but I want to keep my flock strong and healthy. will need to dispatch 4 roos soon. boy I hate this part of keeping livestock. Will also be looking for 2 new Muscovy hens next spring since our only lone duckling this year is a drake. Or might just get 2 runner girls.

 

[michaelinnc84]

I have never had to dispatch an animal but I know it will be part of the package. I have been lucky so far. However, that being said, I do plan on dispatching extra drakes that I do not need and cannot sale to use to feed my family. That will be a while down the road though.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
we've had to process extra roos in the last couple years [never gets eay though] but we've not done any of our ducks.

 

[michaelinnc84]

If you don't mind me asking, why not the ducks?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Well when we started out with ducks they were just pets, I adopted the first drake from our river, then went an bought 3 girls to go with him, they hatched out 10 ducklings and I sold all of them but 1, then I sorta got into the rescue from a couple who asked if I would take 4 of their young hens since they were drastically cutting down their flock [freezer] and didn't want to put these girls up. so I had 7 hens and one drake he was in duckie heaven, well one day another Muscovy drake flew into our river, they get dumped alot around here. and of course I had to bring him home

that was 7 years ago when this all started and never once thought about eating them, now when have 3 drakes and only 6 girls plus 1 gander who is in the mix because he mates with the ducks, so it's either process or get more girls, My dh would still like to process one but these guys are older don't know how well they would cook up and my 3 month old is my baby so he's out of the question. I am looking for a couple more hens to give these girls a break, I have 3 that are 7 years, they need a rest.

 

[michaelinnc84]

Yeah its definitely time for vacation for those girls. Maybe look into duck soup or something similar if your going to process the older ones.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
yep looks like it will be duck soup for at least 1.

 

[michaelinnc84]

Aww if you don't want to do it you don't have to.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Thanks but have you ever seen ducks fight especially muscovies? it ain't pretty. Our property is mt. so no way to separate them and make everyone happy, plus the drakes think he's suppose to have them all. I mean the top drake. but since he's the older of the 2 drakes we'll probably do the 2nd in command. it's not something we like doing even with our roos, and we still have 2 of them from this years hatch to butcher. and one of my older hens has astites and is getting worse so we'll have to put her down probably too. Sometimes you just have to do things you don't want to do. But life goes on and hopefully the flock will be better for it.