Anyone know of a butcher who will dispatch and butcher ducks

big brahma

We have an overload of drakes at the moment and after much agonising, have decided to reduce the numbers (estimate about 30). Although I could summon the courage to dispatch a duck if suffering, I don't think I could dispatch them for butchering.

So. if anyone knows of a butcher in the Banff, Fraserburgh, New Deer area who could collect, dispatch and prepare for the freezer, I'd be grateful to know.

baldowrie

personally I think that if you are unable to dispatch the males in your own flock then you shouldn't be breeding them. I have a cockeral I am doing today, I take no pleasure from it but he is surplus to requirements therefore I have to take responsibility for his dispatch.

I doubt you find anyone that will do it for you and butcher. A vet will do it at large cost.

big brahma

Well good for you!

wildgarlic

I think that's a bit harsh B. Let's remember that we are a friendly forum and like to offer advice to each other.

BB - I've pmd someone that might be able to help and if I get an answer I'll let you know.

baldowrie

as I said that's my personal opinion.

Stonehead

Well, I don't think B is being harsh. If you're going to be keep and breed animals, then you have to shoulder all the responsibilities that involves. I appreciate that's not a fashionable philosophy any more, but holding that view and expressing it is not harsh.

Kelly

well its a reason I only have rescue hens and don't breed but come on people, big brahma was asking for help not snide comments.

Good luck finding your butcher big brahma, perhaps call local butchers as well??

bracken · ducks

Well said Kelly,

let's hope that we can keep Neeps as a place to come for advice - we've found a lot of new friends and taken on board lots of good avice over the years.

Long may it continue!!!

Smooth Hound

baldowrie

well SH I am coming to the Moray Coast TOMORROW..................

:

Smooth Hound

where abouts

baldowrie

http://www.findochtycaravanpark.co.uk/index.html

but we are camping...don't ask 76 year old mother's idea and yes she will be there too!

Smooth Hound

never been there, but i believe its a nice place,

kimmie

Personally i am unable to dispatch my own, thats what my partner is for

but even he would find it hard to dispatch 30 and Butcher them!!
I have PM BB with a suggestion of a fabulous butcher, i hope he can help you. He may suggest with that amount though, taking them all to a proper slaughter house and he would then collect and butcher...but give him a ring, and he will let you know.

Julie

It might be a bit more constructive to offer to help Big Brahma with the task than to take side swipes.
If someone showed you what to do to get you started BB, do you think you would feel more confident about doing it?
I remember the first time we did home slaughter. It would have been nice to have someone demonstrate it on site if that had been an option.

kimmie

yes but theres 30 of them julie....alot if your not used to it, matt is getting used to doing the deed, but he said he would find 30 difficult to do

Townie

Just a suggestion...

You could always make this a Neeps Tutorial Day, I'm sure there would be people interested in taking part..

10 people, 3 birds each, it would be done in no time at all and everyone would gain valuable experience on how to dispatch, pluck and draw a bird.

kimmie

now that sounds like a good idea

depends on whether BB likes that idea or not though

Smooth Hound

sounds like a bit of a do

big brahma

Thanks all,
A local crofter has offered a solution for the drakes to go and live on his pond and help clear a large area of land.

I don't breed ducks as a rule (that would be financial suicide as they've eaten their way through a ton of feed)! We just needed a few more ducks for the big pond in the garden as the original few are getting on a bit. Nature and the incubator presented us with a load of drakes.

Appreciate the offer of 'classes' but I think I would rather avoid the whole process wherever possible. I can 'dispatch' (if absolutely necessary for reasons of suffering) and my dad taught me to pluck and clean a bird (and rabbits too) when I was young. I remember it requiring a lot of physical strength as well as stomach.

Cheers

kimmie

am glad you have found a solution hun

Townie

Pleased that you have found a solution.. good news for the drakes

Julie

Glad you got sorted, it saves all the hassle too.

I've dispatched hens many a time but only plucked and gutted once. It's quicker and easier to skin them and remove the breast and legs.
A farmer we know had a whole barn full of meat birds to do (several hundred) and his wife just rolled up her sleeves and got stuck in. I managed to scoop the innards out of my bird without puking - it's the smell - but I did some dry heaving believe me. I don't think it would bother me now. After the smell of a sheeps stomach contents you can handle anything.

jaydee67

I did an egg-eater on Wednesday, she is for tea tonight, but ducks I left to my husband, they have much stronger necks and I would be worried that I couldn't manage a quick, clean kill.

I only managed to do my first birds last year after keeping and hatching hens for about 8 years, luckily I have a husband who would dispatch excess cockerals. I know now I can do it though, and I kill (broomstick method), skin and clean the bird myself ( have plucked but it's a fiddle). It takes me about 45 mins to do a hen from start to finish, 30 would be a nightmare!

I still have more birds to do this year, and now he knows I can, hubby is leaving me to it - I knew there would be a downside to doing it myself!

I would never criticize anyone for not being able to kill, but hatching brings the problem of excess birds. A friend has an expanding flock of ducks with a lot of drakes and is talking about looking for someone to 'do the deed', I'm not volunteering myself -or hubby - we sort our own birds out (I have said I will show her how), but if she doesn't find someone to do it , or do it themselves, she will be feeding a lot of birds this winter, but that's her choice.