Ducks, Geese and Turkey Setups

[Justhunt]

Did you get any hens out of the last three? We are butchering some drakes today. Wife is picking up more ducklings today (I think they are coming from eastern Oregon) so we need to make more room. We also have 4 hens starting to hatch some eggs.

[bearpaw]

When our kids were small we got them some ducks, the ones that look like Mallards, don't know what they are called? We started with three, within two years we had 27 running around. We just let them free range, they were self supporting except during winter we did feed them. We built no special housing and had no water for them to get in, yet they did great. I was surprised how well they did on their own. The biggest detriment was when we got a Jahg Terrier, when she got to be about 6 months she was deadly on those ducks, we finally gave away what was left of the ducks because she would have eventually killed every duck. I wanted to eat some of them but they were the kids pets and they wanted to give them away.

[Justhunt]

Doesn't take long to multiply that is for sure.  I think 4 of our hens are sitting on 36 eggs. Makes for good eating in a few months.

[Justhunt]

Here are a couple breast we had last week. Very good eating.

[Machias]

Mmmmm  that looks good.  Nope, all three turned out to be drakes.  We have decided to keep two of them and butcher the other two.  I also went and bought 4 more hens, so I have 7 hens about a year old.  Three of my hens are molting pretty good right now.  They all seem to have stopped laying eggs.  So everything I have read on my Muscovy Facebook page folks try plucking once and then all swear they will skin from now on.  Looks like you have it down with the plucking.

[Justhunt]

This video helped a lot on the scolding the birds. We are still working on keeping the temperature of the water steady throughout the process. We just got to use the large potato masher today and it helped to keep the bird in the water moving without burning our hands. If some of the birds have a lot of pin features still we will skin then.

[Justhunt]

Our hens have pretty much stopped laying also and most are molting.  Butchered the last 8 drakes today. We got just under 23 pounds of legs, thighs and breasts out of them. We feed the carcasses to the dogs to supplement their food and the feet for treats.

[Machias]

Man that looks like really nice meat!  Thanks!!