FAQs

NO – We never have, and we never will. Hormones are illegal to give to poultry in the United States. We do not use hormones or any other steroid growth promotants to produce our ducks or duck feed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has banned the use of hormones in raising poultry (chickens, turkeys, duck, and other fowl) since the 1950s.

NEVER for growth promotion. Our licensed veterinarians prescribe antibiotics only to treat sickness. We believe it is the humane thing to do to ensure our ducks are as happy and healthy as possible. Antibiotics are NEVER used for growth purposes. When prescribed for illness, we adhere to a withdraw period prior to processing.

Our ducks eat an all-natural diet of corn, wheat and soybeans and other essential vitamins and minerals. We buy the corn and soy used in our duck feeds from local farmers. Our ducks are not fed antibiotics, hormones, steroids, animal proteins or any growth promotants.

White Pekin duck is a healthy and nutritious alternative to other meats since it is lower in fat & calories compared to other meats. Duck fat is rich in monounsaturated fats like olive oil is and very low in saturated fat. Since the fat is mainly in the skin, it can be easily rendered off or removed prior to cooking. A skinless duck breast is only 110 calories per 4 oz. serving and 2 g of fat total, making it lower in calories and fat than even chicken breast. Duck also contains more essential nutrients like iron & selenium per serving than most other meats & poultry.

All of our ducks are raised in Northern Indiana on family farms. A majority of our farmers are Amish. All of our farmers follow our strict Trident Stewardship humane guidelines to ensure our ducks are being treated responsibly and raised in the best environment possible. All farms are routinely checked, to ensure farmers are following our guidelines, and each farm is given an in depth audit every other year.

All of our ducks are raised in climate controlled barns with windows that have access to the outside air. We do not raise our ducks in a free range or open water environment because they are at great risk for predators. We also want to ensure they eat and drink the healthiest food & water possible, and they will forage anything they find outside on the ground. Ducks are also much more likely to catch diseases outside, especially in large pools of water. Additionally, during the harsh Indiana winters, we do not want the ducks exposed to extreme weather conditions. We want protect our ducks from all of these threats to ensure they are as happy and as healthy as they can be.

We raise the White Pekin duck breed only. We do not raise Muscovy or Moulard for Foie Gras. We do not produce foie gras, as we believe it goes against the core principles of animal well being in our Trident Stewardship program. Our White Pekin ducks originate from the original Long Island Pekin ducks brought over to the US from China in the 1800s.

Most of our duck products do not contain gluten as an ingredient. However, many of our products are produced in a facility that is not certified (tested) to be gluten-free, and our appetizer products are formulated with gluten-containing ingredients. If you have questions about a specific product, please contact our Service Specialists at 800-348-2812, option 2.

While duck is poultry, it is very different from chicken and turkey because it's a red meat. There is no white meat on duck. This means that a well-prepared duck breast eats more like steak than chicken and is slightly pink in the center when properly cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Unlike other red meats, however, duck is very lean and low in saturated fat; therefore, better for you.

Defrost duck in the refrigerator. A breast will thaw overnight; a whole bird can take two days or more. For faster thawing, submerge the duck in its unopened original packaging in cold water, changing water every 30 minutes.

A majority of our fresh duck products will last 14 days in the fridge as long as the packaging hasn't been compromised. If there is a hole in the packaging, the product will last about 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Our frozen products thawed will last about a week in the fridge when thawed.

According to USDA, consumers should use fresh poultry products within 1-2 days of the sell by or best if used by date. You may freeze fresh duck products before the sell by date. These products will be good for up to 2 years.

Yes, cooking two ducks at once is not a problem. Follow the directions for cooking the larger of the two ducks and add 15 minutes cooking time.

Whole ducks usually come with giblets (including up to: one liver, one heart and two gizzard pieces) and a neck stuffed inside. Remove the giblets and neck before cooking the duck. Giblets can be used to make broth for soup or gravy. You can also pan fry them to use in a variety of recipes.