Harvesting Ducks - What it's like 

Taking care of your animals encompasses all aspects. These animals were treated well and it's part of the cycle. Guess what folks, meat doesn't just magically appear under plastic at the grocery store. Never knew a farmer that didn't love and respect the animals under their care.

The first harvest of your animals is the most difficult. Knowing that you gave them the best possible life and humanely harvested is satisfying. No matter how many you do killing is never easy but necessary.

To the best of my knowledge and experience on my grandparents farm. After you kill the duck you let it sit for about an hour, you can start plucking the larger feathers going against the grain. Once you've gotten as much of the feathers off as you can you can take off the head and wings. Leave the feet you'll need them. Get a pot of water to boil and add about a half pound of wax for about six ducks. You need a bucket of ice water near by, you quickly dip the duck into the wax, then right into the ice water. You want to clean it not cook it. Get about six or so dips so you have a good layer of wax. Let the wax set after the last dip and move to another bird. When the was is hard you can just start peeling it off and it'll get all those little hairs and feathers you just can't get by hand. Gut the bird at this point and remove the feet and you are done.

Yes, there is a part of me that does empathize for the living creatures that lost their lives. I also am here because I'm going into farming. While I'm starting with fruits & vegetables, I may end up in your position where I may need to look to my own fowl for a food source. Believe it or not, I have been expecting, but not searching, for this video. I'm glad, however, that I've watched enough of your content to have had this pop up in my suggestions this morning. I applaud and appreciate your honesty and the admiration for your stock. Surely they were not just stock & not exactly pets. Thank you, again. Not something I'm looking forward to myself, but a milestone I know I must eventually pass...

Great video, and it's nice to see how much you care for your ducks and how emotionally vested you are in the entire homesteading life style. You earned a new subscriber.

WE USE PARAFFIN WAX IN THE WATER AND THEN WE DIP THE DUCKS IN COLD WATER TO HARDIN THE WAX TO THE FEATHERS. THE FEATHERS PULL OFF SOO EASY.

The Dawn soap duck was put on the package after the Exxon Valdez ran around, causing a major oil spill. We used Dawn to get the oil off the feathers of the birds. Some packaging actually has the story on it, or mentions that Dawn saves lives, and it does!

Hey its not so bad to kill them as long as they had a good life. Its never fun to kill an animal but its a good experience. This week im butchering 14 roosters for the first time. its gonna be hard coz i babied them alot. But its a valuable lesson and i know where they come from and that they have had the best life they could have. Im looking up all sorts of info on butchering but luckily i have a hunter coming to help me and my neighboor who also just started with chickens to help :D

Thanks for sharing ! I teared up a little but you did it with such kindness you deserve to feel proud! ❤️

Entrails disposal: drill a post hole in an aisleway in an orchard, vineyard, etc. Toss entrails in. Refill. No smell. Plants love the nitrogen. No predators invited.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the emotional side of this. ducks are my favorite. I don't think I could ever cull them but you have seen to make it a little easier if I really had to do it I think I could

People who only get their food from a grocery store have no idea. It's good to know where your food comes from. I was brought up since I was little butchering things from live stock to wild game. The taste and quality is way better than from a grocery store. Good luck in the future.

Buy a commercial grade LPG Burner (it has about 3-4 times the BTU capacity than your current model), as well as a 10-20 gallon galvanized garbage can, and a 1/8"-1/4" steel plate (as a 'bottom' to your garbage can, so you don't burn through it), and then heat up the garbage can full of water. Because of the massive BTU output, you can keep the full garbage can of water constantly on a boil, which means the scalding will have greater efficiency of delving down deeply into the 'down' feathers of the ducks, and the result will be a much easier plucking. A rubber mallet will do as well as a piece of 2x4, and the blow can be much more concentrated (directed). Cheers and thank you for a great video.......I love the "Release the Quacken"!!!!

As someone who is debating if I want to farm chickens on my homestead, this was really, really helpful

Thanks for the thoughtful insight into the process of harvesting the meat you put so much time and energy into raising.

Well this is how we get our poultry at the supermarket, so I don't know why people would be offended. You did a great job raising the ducks humanely. Obviously they are not pets, but a source of food.

They lead a good life. I raise a ouple.hogs for the freezer every other year, and have raised meat birds ( chickens and turkeys). They aren't cooped up and get to run around. It is part of life.

I really appreciate your humbleness and honesty.

Thank you so much for this video. We are city folks who have found ourselves with a whole bunch of ducks, half of which are male. It's inevitable that we will have to go through the same process you have and this video makes it much less scary.

When we do poultry we have BIG ice chests with cold water and some ice which we quickly place the chicken/duck/turkey after using the chicken plucker and gutting the bird. It cools the meat down slow enough so it doesn't seize up, which creates tougher meat. Then we bag, seal and freeze. Found your channel at Lumnah Acres.

Matt over at 50 ducks has the best video on how to do it .. but bless you . I couldn't do it

Hey there boss I enjoyed the video I'm a city boy they come from a country Rancher family and grew up eating lots of pets/ livestock my family hasn't harvested their own meet in a long time since my grandparents passed away and I'm interested in getting back in touch with my roots and this video brought a tear to my eyes reminded me of my grandparents thank you

A thoughtful and informative video Morgan, well done for approaching this subject with sensitivity and care.

Thank you for giving your animals good lives.

Nothing cruel in what did. You learn by doing and it gets easier with experience. Admire your relationship with your flocks.

Thanks for the info. .What mostly matters is learning the process and knowing where most of our food comes from.

As a water Fowler hunter may I suggest a product called The Finisher by Adrenal Line. It’s a very human and quick way to dispatch ducks. Might be worth looking into.

Pablo is proudly bringing you presents, right to your door.

Amazing video! Sending some love from Vancouver :)

The look on their face when they turned right after you said, “Watching RU-vid how to harvest ducks”, is priceless:)

Look at the old videos done by 50 ducks in a hot tub. This guy is an expert and raises almost all his own meat

Not sure whether your climate will allow it, but in some warmer parts of the world the entrails can be mixed with some hay to dry them out a little, and hung up in a container with some carefully placed holes. It will attract flies and they will lay maggots in it, which will consume the entrails, fatten up, then crawl out the holes and drop into a tray where most poultry will gobble them right up. Although it's probably a smellier option than burying the leftovers, it can provide some high protein poultry feed for little cost.

I like your video. The head wack is not necessary they will pass out nearly instantly upon the cut. Duck processing must be timed with the ducks maturing so the feathers come out easily. Just tips for next time.

great video!! I am eager to start out pasture poultry operation, but I know it will be difficult when it comes time to process them, but all we can do is give them the best life possible, and thank them for their sacrifice. It is more responsible for us who consume meat to do it this way, than to buy from the store where the meat we buy did not have a pleasant life.

I don't envy you that job - I've got that to do. The lady who bred ours said that she waited until her ducks started to moult which was 12 weeks and 20 weeks because they were easier to pluck. It might be worth noting when your ducks moult so that you can be ready next time. Although 12 weeks came and went without so much as a floof loose on any ducks. They are moulting now, but only some and they were all hatched at the same time! I'm glad you stunned them first - I've seen some videos which didn't help me with the ethical side of things. So many thanks for that. xxx

Dry Plucker machine is what I've been using for goose, pheasant, and ducks.

I started my ducks this year, building up the flock. Next year is harvesting time, dreading it but I know it has to be done. Your video makes me dread it a little less.

We culled out our roosters a couple of months ago, it was my first time. It is the most humbling experience, in my opinion

You did good. For a town kid who did this for the first time, you did really well. You covered the sacredness of a life and the basics of getting it done. I enjoy your vids. I just got my foundation stock. They are not laying eggs yet but I have big plans. I have had ducks before but I was working full time and going to Grad school so I didn't have much time for thinking about ducks. Now I'm retired and going into the duck business with renewed gusto. You left DC for Vermont. Dang...it's cold up there. I left MN for AR.

Think your scalding temp was too low maybe. 150ish i think

Hi: My family has been raising meat chickens every year for 27 years. We do 150 every year. I always dread butcher weekend. The meat is far superior to store bought. We have never raised ducks. Year by year you will improve your process as you learn to make it easier, more efficient. I have really been enjoying your videos, Thankyou

Proud of you! Giving them the best possible care and even being compassionate all the way until the end is key. It's never easy fulfilling the circle of life. It is rewarding to know though the meat you put in the freezer was raised the best possible way and you know what they ate so can be confident that your meal will be healthy. Ducks are a pain to pluck, I will not deny. I have a feather plucker myself and decided it it fruitless with ducks or any water fowl actually. I scold and pluck the best I can and what little down is left have found a small hand held propane torch is good for burning them off, being careful not to scorch the skin. Kudos to you for addressing this sensitive topic on your homestead.

Release the "Quack'n" ...I can't wait till "I bin" away from the city long enough to Just Go All Out-and make my own jokes at my own expense..hahaha. Love your videos...educational and inspiring. I really can't wait to move up North; Suton, Vermont...Anson, Maine..we'll see. Peace :)

Thanks - your video was very helpful and answered some of my key how to questions. And yes, for me too it is a strange mix of feeling good about giving birds a full life and sad for having to kill them. But I believe that eating meat should not feel easy. We should be grateful for the opportunity, respectful of the animals in life and death, and do our best to use all of the animal.

I have butchered 1 Muscovy duck before. It was not fun or easy but I did it as quickly and humanely as possible and I was glad I did. The duck and his brother were buddies at first then as they got older they became rivals, fighting viciously for days over territory and mating rights so for their own good one of them had to go. Had I tried to sell him someone else would have just eaten him and I trust my own skills over a stranger who never knew my duck and having it done at home is less traumatic to the duck than being sold and taken to a strange place with a strange person. My ducks know me and are relaxed at home in familoar surroundings. When it came down to business between the 2 male ducks I liked one better so the other was chosen as the meal. The duck was 100% free range his entire life from the moment he hatched (was raised outdoors with his mom and siblings). He was well cared for and basically free to go wherever he wanted -- I never trimmed his wings so he could fly if he wanted to and he did on occasion. We had acres and acres of woods and pasture land for the ducks to roam. A nice life for any duck.

Most commercial processing plants basically pluck with machine like you then run a torch quickly over to burn off remainder. They also prefer white feather poultry which blends in more in case missed due to blending in more.

Never seen anyone process an animal by hitting it with a 2x4 first! I feel like it’s totally unnecessary, and cruel. I cull my chickens by slitting their throat also. Love your videos Sir.

It's all natural. People have done this except for an almost immeasurable small amount of time in human history. You have to give them a good life and respectful treatment and then they get to go to Freezer Camp. Thank you for a great channel. I'm thinking about buying some property but I'm not there yet. You make me inspired though. Makes me feel it's possible for me too.

I'm glad to hear that you actually stunned them before cutting their throats. I've come across videos of people skipping that first, important step. Apparently it is legal in some countries to kill an animal without stunning them, which is simply f:ed up regardless of its legality.

Great video. I'm really proud of what you've accomplished.

In all time - there must be people who can cull the animals and those who for whatever reason, cant handle doing it. When people say if you cant kill your own animal, you shouldn’t eat meat i take issue with that. For thousands of years we have relied on animals for protein to survive and select members of the “tribe” are able to cope with this aspect of attaining it. I personally cant handle it... ive tried to go vegetarian but become too anemic even with beans legumes etc . Thanks for doing it respectfully and with love.

Your ducks were very happy and healthy, and killed quickly and efficiently. A job well done!

I had to cull some male quails I had once...It was definitely an experience and still think about it to this day. Looking back, It would have been a much smarter idea to sell the live males on craigslist instead of dispatching them and could have made back a few bucks.

Thanks for the video info. Husband & I have been eating duck eggs for 2+ years, harder to get in late fall/winter. I probably need to look more to find a farm selling the eggs. We want to raise ducks for eggs (I can't eat chicken eggs due to allergies) but finding down to earth people to express how to raise ducks are few & far between, in my opinion. I wish you success with your farm. Love the cats!!! 😊

It was sweet to feed them a “Last Meal” but I thought you were suppose to not feed them for 24 hours before processing them.

You gave them a good life. You respected their needs. Now they give you back food for your life.

He spends his entire time making sure these ducks and geese have the best life possible. At the prescribed day and time they are processed as humanely as possible. I have been on my uncle's farm at hog processing time and it is never easy to harvest an animal you have been feeding for the past year or so.

Watched your one year of duck farming. Currently living in a city and have bought land in another state of Australia. Plan to have ducks, quail and fish as our protein. Today I have bought quail eggs and connected with the person who farms them. The khaki campbell ducks are the ones that I have chosen to have when we move over to that other state. Timeline for the move is up to three years.

Love chicken pluckers grand when I raised chickens. Helps to have a torch to get the last pin feathers.

I am glad that you do not gloss over the less pleasant aspects of farming.

Home raised,home grown food tastes soo much better. Knowing they lived how they are supossed to.

You should also watch 50 Ducks in a Hot Tub. Matt did several videos on his harvest. Since 2012 he has raised ducks for meat and eggs. A majority of the eggs he donates to his local food bank. You will have to scroll through his videos, he gave the majority of the ducks to a Homeless Kitchen. He can give you all sorts of information a raising ducks and treating their ails. Thanks for sharing, I know this was a hard one for you.

Now, I just have to sub. Keep up the great content.

Try heating the water to 150* instead of 130*. That should make the feathers come out easier.

This youtube channel gives mix feelings of sadness and happiness but i understand that is normal anyway i lovenyour channel

I think you need to scald them at least 45 seconds. Check with Lumnah.

It should never really be easy... eventually it doesn't bother you the way it did before, but I still don't look forward to it nor would I call it "easy". I have a little conversation with each and every animal thanking them for their life allowing me to live my life. 10 Rabbits done yesterday, 13 more later this evening to finish the Bunnies for the season. All harvest/butchering will be done for 2023 before the end of this week.

Would love to know/see how you stunned the ducks. Were they completely knocked out? My first time culling was very similar to yours but we used the wax to remove feathers. It was medium. I personally hated using the cone and my first cut was terrible. I felt terrible but got better by the third.

Nice video content, thank you for sharing.

Well done. Tough topic to do a video on.

When I was processing my ducks I found that my scalding temperature around 158° work the best but they're still ducks and you're not going to get all the feathers off in the plucking machine. I have the same machine in the Yardbird.

I hunt ducks in New Zealand, to pluck those last little feathers use latex gloves and they just rub off. If it's only a few just let them hang a day to cool (makes them easier to work) then dry pluck them by hand

butchering an animal from life to table i think is something every person should do. helps you decide to go vegan/vegetarian while not being a complete snob about it, or to continue eating meat while having a deeper appreciation for the food

That's aweseom! Thanks for sharing!!!

I hope you saved the hearts as they are excellent

Plucking the duck feathers is much more difficult than it is for chickens. Because of this, it does need more patience. Don’t have the water too hot because they require more soaking; if it’s too hot it will cause the skin to tear. Right after getting them out of the hot water go for the tail and wing feathers first. Hopefully this tips are helpful

When you dunk them, scald them until you can start to peel the skin off their feet and the plucking will be much easier.

If you save up enough bees wax you can sink them in melted wax and cool them. Pull off the wax and re melt/ strain to reuse next harvest. Oulls the oin fwathers out. Giving you a naked sellable bird

"Pluck a Duck" is my new choice phrase for cursing and swearing

I love ducks and geese and roosters

FWIW, the Amish women on Chicken Road*, where I take birds to be plucked when I can't get my husband to, charge 2x as much for ducks because they take so long to pluck. They are quite experienced. They butcher every Wednesday, hundreds of birds (all types) for about 6 months of the year. They still don't always get them clean. I think you are right, you might be able to serve a niche market. Do you roast these mainly? Are they tender? (not like store chicken, just not tough) *actual name on the map

What was your count... When the ducks arrived? After the plague? After first harvest? And how many do you have now in 2021?

From my psychological view I'd do it out of view of the other birds. I remember my mother tying chickens by their feet to the clothesline and cutting their heads off. Dunking in hot water and plucking. The memory is so vivid because their was snow on the ground.

I have herd that parafin wax desolved in the water alowes you to pluck the duck like pealing an orange, all the feathers come off in like a skin sort of.

I just added Rouen ducklings, when should I harvest them? Bought ducks specifically for meat

if there is a wildlife rescue or predatory bird rescue nearby, you may be able to freeze the entrails and donate to them if they are interested.

Thank you for sharing. We will be butchering a few ducks for Christmas. I have been reading on wax plucking. Where you dip them in wax or add paraffin to hot water and it coats feathers together for easier removal.

Growing in Jamaica my aunt had a huges land so she decided to raise chicken to sell for meat and for the second harvest they had me do the killing and surprisingly it was easy I was only about 8 years old at the time

Too difficult for me but I respect your work

Thanks! Good video. How do supermarkets get their birds perfectly plucked birds?

What age were the duck when you processed them. I’ve seen videos where you use the plucker then wax to help remove feathers

Heat water to 150F. Dunk and swish birds in for around 2 min and all the feathers would have been wet and then pulled off in the plucker. No need for soap or wax in water. Also should have refrigerated the birds for 48hrs to relax the meat before freezing. Bet they were tough.

I have Khakis also. How do they taste vs Peking? Also, at what age did you cull them?

Have you thought about growing some of the ducks that are very tasty in Chinese restaurants.

Hi. Just wondering why you club them to stun them? The cutting of the throat is relatively pain free and I've found they just go to sleep when all the blood has drained. We processed a turkey a few weeks ago and cut his throat, just while he was walking around on the grass. As soon as he fell (he was still walking around until the blood had mostly drained) we hung him to control the death throes (they're mighty strong). It was very peaceful.

86 people disliked this video while eating a full MEAT meal !

The circle of life is both joyous & sorrowful.

Harvesting is never "fun" if it is I think you need checked, however it does give you appreciation of your food and how it gets to the table. I grew up on a cattle farm and after 15 years of harvesting it's still the both the most humbling part of the process and the most dreaded part.

Well made video. Really liked your metal aspect of the harvesting and caring for them up to and during the harvest.

The only part I found disturbing was the 'hitting with the 2×4'😐