The age of ducks for slaughter and how to slaughter them correctly at home
Ducks are one of the most popular birds for home keeping. They are characterized by unpretentiousness, rapid growth and weight gain. Duck meat has a specific taste, high content of useful microelements. In order to preserve the commercial quality of the carcass and the palatability of the meat, it is important to correctly carry out the duck slaughtering procedure. Be sure to consider the right time and follow the step by step instructions.
When can you slaughter a duck?
In total, more than a dozen breeds of these birds have been bred. Ducks are raised before slaughter both in private yards and on large farms. Among the most common breeds are Peking, Musk, or Indo-White, Moscow White. Mulard deserves special attention - interspecific meat hybrids.
Slaughter begins if the duck is at least 56 days old. The optimal average time is 60-75 days. During this time, individuals gain a sufficient slaughter weight, their body is overgrown with a small layer of healthy fat. Indoor women are slaughtered when its weight reaches 2-2.5 kg. The mulard carcass must weigh 3 kg, and the Peking duck must weigh at least 2.5 kg.
At the age of 3 months, the growth of individuals slows down, a change of plumage begins - molt. Immature and young feathers coarse, become tough, hemp or bumps appear on the skin of the ducks. It becomes problematic to pluck the carcass qualitatively after slaughter. The meat of the “overripe” domestic duck acquires an unpleasant aftertaste and becomes dry.
Poultry preparation
This is the first stage of the upcoming slaughter. The taste and type of meat, the commercial properties of the duck carcass depend on the quality of the preparatory actions. It is recommended to start preparation in the evening, since the most suitable time for slaughter is in the morning.
Be sure to follow a series of actions:
- Place the selected duck in a cage or separate paddock.
- The room should have a slatted bottom so that the duck does not peck on the ground and its droppings.
- Do not feed 10-14 hours before slaughter (skip evening feeding).
- Leave water, provide free access.
Leave the electric lighting all night before slaughter. This provokes disorientation of the body. Leftover feed is digested more quickly and water helps to cleanse the intestines and stomach of the duck more effectively. To speed up the process, it is allowed to give a 2% solution of Glauber's salt to have a laxative effect.
Required tools and materials
A number of sanitary and hygienic requirements are put forward to the place where ducks are cut. The main ones are cleanliness and availability of water supply for washing processed duck carcasses, dishes, tables and tools. The hammer's clothing must be removable.
Preliminary preparation of the inventory is mandatory - scalding or disinfection.
Equipment and tools required for slaughter:
- Wall with fixed hooks for hanging the duck.
- Fixing cone.
- A pan for draining blood.
- Waste basin or bucket.
- Sharp cleaver or knife.
- Cellophane film.
- Rope or tape to secure the wings.
- Gutting table.
- Boiling water for scalding duck carcasses immediately after slaughter (so that there are no hemp on the skin).
How to slaughter a duck?
Several methods have been developed to kill domesticated birds. The general condition is to drain all the blood from the slaughtered duck. With insufficient exsanguination, partial or complete redness of the skin occurs. Also, the remaining blood is a favorable environment for the appearance of pathogens. The breeder chooses the specific method of slaughtering the duck based on personal experience.
Dissection of the artery
The duck is hung upside down by its paws, the wings are firmly fixed with a rope or tape. The second option is full fixation of the duck in a special cone. Then the bird's neck is pulled back and the artery is cut with one sharp movement. At the same time, the knife is not held perpendicular to the neck, but with a slight forward tilt. You can prick no more than 1-2 ducks at a time in this way, since the preparation is quite long.
| pros | Minuses |
| 1. Lack of labor efforts. 2. "Purity" of the process. 3. No open wounds on the body.
| 1. Only 1-2 ducks can be slaughtered per day. 2. Preliminary preparation (binding, fixation). 3. Knowledge of the anatomical structure of the duck. |
Using an ax
This is the traditional and common way to slaughter birds at home quickly and easily. To kill a duck, it is laid on its side on a log or chock. One wing becomes pressed against the block, the other is held by the farmer himself. The head is chopped off with one blow of the ax, in the next 2-3 minutes the duck is held until the death convulsions are completely passed. An ax or a cleaver completely cuts the windpipe and blood vessels, the bird dies instantly.
| pros | Minuses |
| 1. Speed and quick effect. 2. Simple technology. 3. Ability to slaughter a large number of ducks in a short time. | 1. Open cuts remain on the neck. 2. Risk of rapid spoilage of meat. 3. Severe dying convulsions. |
Cutting tips
Duck cutting can be done according to the developed algorithm. The first step is to carefully cut off the neck, leaving a piece of skin to mask the incision / wound. Then work with the legs and wings of the duck. Paws are cut off at a distance of 2-4 cm from the heel joint, the wings are cut off at the first joint.
Next, the belly is cut, all the giblets are removed. The stomach, lungs are washed, stored separately. Be sure to cut off the abdominal fat and the coccygeal (sebaceous) gland in the back. These elements often spoil the taste of duck meat when cooking. The goiter and esophagus are removed through an incision at the bottom of the neck. After that, the duck is thoroughly washed and dried, the carcass is ready for storage.
The slaughter of ducks is an important process that every breeder should be familiar with. Slaughter begins when individuals are 60-70 days old. At this time, their meat is tender and dietary, there are no fatty growths.
If delayed, the quality of the carcass will deteriorate: hemp and meat hardness will appear. The most popular techniques for slaughtering ducks are chopping off the head or cutting an artery.
