Author Topic: Anyone doing Table Birds this Year ? (Read 10521 times)

Bramham Wiltshire Horns · « **Reply #30 on:** October 06, 2015, 10:38:43 am »

Quote from: RPF on May 24, 2015, 07:18:14 am

I'm doing quite a few this year, namely, La Bresse, La Bresse X IG, IG (dark and Jubilee), Brahma X IG as well as Muscovies. The aim is to bring them on French style, I.e. Long and slow with high protein ration at the end.

HI THERE IM INTERESTED TO KNOW MORE ON THE MUSCOVY FRONT, ITS SOMETHING THAT I WILL BE LOOKING AT DOING THIS YEAR BUT I AM A TOTAL NOVICE

THANKS

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #31 on:** October 06, 2015, 11:22:30 am »

Hopefully am gonna start breeding the faverolles the beginning of next year, so I hope to be killing some out end of the year then. Hopefully $:-\$

RPF · « **Reply #32 on:** October 06, 2015, 11:49:30 am »

Quote from: Princessrubyk on October 06, 2015, 10:38:43 am

Quote from: RPF on May 24, 2015, 07:18:14 am
HI THERE IM INTERESTED TO KNOW MORE ON THE MUSCOVY FRONT, ITS SOMETHING THAT I WILL BE LOOKING AT DOING THIS YEAR BUT I AM A TOTAL NOVICE

THANKS

Once you eat Muscovy (Barbary) you won't want any other duck. The breast meat is like roast beef but they need to be cooked differently as they have 50% less fat. Commercial strains can be brought on for 12 weeks but I'm experimenting with the strain I have. In the past I've done them at 6 months and obtained a 6lb carcass. No special ration just a bit of wheat and barely. I'm hoping my strain with yield a good enough carcass at 3 months.

Bramham Wiltshire Horns · « **Reply #33 on:** October 06, 2015, 11:52:31 am »

would you bring on mainly drakes for meat or both

RPF · « **Reply #34 on:** October 06, 2015, 12:00:59 pm »

It depends on the strain that you have. I've got some chunky females so I'm going to use their female progeny. The female is about 50- 60% of the size of the male but I've been told that they mature a bit quicker. If the females are going spare I'd say use them, if you can't sell them. Consider too that ducks are a pain to process so you want a decent enough return for the hassle.

Bramham Wiltshire Horns · « **Reply #35 on:** October 06, 2015, 09:26:51 pm »

Thanks RPF
Maybe when you start them next year you could add a thread for me to follow

Thanks

RPF · « **Reply #36 on:** October 07, 2015, 09:16:14 am »

A female hatched out 16 at the beginning of August so I'll put a little thread and some photos up. Hopefully these will be ready in another 4-6 weeks but I'll have to see as I've not experimented with this strain.

Dave C · « **Reply #37 on:** October 08, 2015, 11:33:49 am »

Quote from: Eve on October 05, 2015, 11:58:11 am

Quote from: Dave C on October 03, 2015, 07:50:11 pm

I tried finishing some Ixworths off a few years ago but couldn't get any weight on them due to the short daylight hours.

Why do daylight hours influence growth? Don't they just eat pretty much the same but don't work it off running around as they spend more time asleep? Or eat less but take longer to grow?

Hi Eve, it could have just been the breed or that strain but they were all frame and no meat.

I may be wrong but i think that if they are roosting for 16 hours each night how can they put on any real weight.
If they were finished under lights and in a stable sized area the birds have to be much meatier.

Or am i wrong ?

Dave