[donny]

Hi all

I have just dispached one of my ducks and would like to ask a question, I plan to hang it for just over a week, is it best to pluck it now or after hanging??

Many thanks

Donny

[doganjo]

As far as I can gather from others you gut it and leave it to hang covered up to avoid flies getting to it. But i'm no expert 

[donny]

Ah this is the stuff i need to know. I have heard both sides but never had anything confirmed, gut before or after???
Its my first duck so i dont want to ruin it by doing something wrong.

[doganjo]

I don't kill mine for eating so you'd best either google it or wait for one of the others to confirm - I may be wrong - just going by deer really. The meat is tainted if you don't gralloch immediately.
This might help - http://chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=27269.0

[shetlandpaul]

is it tame or wild. you leave the guts in for turkeys and geese but i would not hang it for to long in august.

[northfifeduckling]

we were told by the farmer to hang the duck with the guts intact. We've eaten other birds which were processed like that and I must say the smell  is not pleasant when you gut it...It does make the meat more tender (even poultry) and apparently the taste is worth it. Pheasants, etc. were absolutely fine and I don't think it will be tainted. I'll let you know (the bird is waiting to be cooked). 

[shetlandpaul]

i was told that it should not smell. our did not but letting them go cold makes them come out easier. they also told us that as long as the bird was intact then they should be fine. but as we have only ever hung anything near christmas i would be scared to waste the animal.

[donny]

Thankyou all for your replied.

The bird is intact, its one of my own birds but a free ranger. It is hung with guts and feathers in a coldish out building inside a pillow case. I have hung pheasants before intact with no adverse affects but never hung ducks, its a khaki Cambell if that makes a difference, i dont know if it would.

I have always hung pheasants dependant on weather, if it is warm hang less and longer for colder.

Many thanks

Donny

[doganjo]

Hope you get some meat off it - you wouldn't get enough for a mid morning snack off my KKs - they take too much exercise running away from Jack my drake!  Mind you they'd probably be pleased if I hung him

[northfifeduckling]

Thanks for making me laugh, Annie! I agree, our boy was not worth killing for the meat, but the girls must feel some slight relief (except the Indian Runner, she always was running with the boys). The new girls now feel the pinch, getting chased all day, but their brothers defend their honour suitably! 

[doganjo]

They won't do that for long - once they realise they are 'big boys'  they will be running with the hounds instead of the hares lol

[northfifeduckling]

Can't wait...

[harry]

pluck it warm freshly killed.... if you are doing it regular buy a cheap tall fridge £10 hang it in that for up to 2 weeks, then gut it, i split mine with a cleaver done its back, hose it out, tie it back together with string, easy... hang anything in it geese etc from the top rack... thats what i do,,,, very tender

[northfifeduckling]

It wasn't actually that bad plucking it after hanging!
The smell actually appeared only during the gutting , that can be barely avoided - the meat did not and is not supposed to smell. It was very tender casseroled....