OtleyLad
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How long to rear ducks and gese for the table?Having a small success with chickens for the table we thought we might try ducks/geese. Does anyone have an idea of how long they take from day-old chicks to culling?
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mochyn
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No idea, but are you prepared for the much harder work of plucking ducks and EVEN harder for plucking geese?
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OtleyLad
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| mochyn wrote: | | No idea, but are you prepared for the much harder work of plucking ducks and EVEN harder for plucking geese? |
Not heard that before - is it not made easier by scalding, etc?
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mochyn
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To an extent, but I've always had trouble with both. Geese are horendous to pluck without a machine!
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bodger
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Ducks of the right breed are ready in under ten weeks.
Geese ? It depends on the breed and the feed. They should almost fatten upon grass, so you need plenty of that and then be finished off with grain and possibly carrots, for colour, for the last few weeks before slaughter.
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Ixy
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At least six months for my ducks and chickens. Geese I've not eaten yet - I have a pair but they're nto for the table; their offspring might be though if we get any next year.
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bodger
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Table ducks used to be ready at ten weeks but todays commercial ducks are ready quite a bit before that. The optimum time to kill them is just before the pin feathers come in. If you leave it after this time, the growth rate slows and they are far more work to pluck.
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Ixy
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I've skinned the last few ducks i've done. Next time I may have a go at saving the feathers for pillows or something though. If you're making someting out of the feathers it seems more worth the plucking - like shearing a sheep 
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judith
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But then there's no crispy skin.
And what is life without crispy duck skin? 
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sean
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| judith wrote: |
And what is life without crispy duck skin? |
A meaningless void.
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bodger
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Think weightwatchers points.
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judith
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I'd rather skip dessert.
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Shan
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Shave the pin feathers and fluff with a disposable raizor. Sounds weird but it works.
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The.Grange
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We did geese last year… we didn’t bother this …. Make of that what you will 
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