Duck Pluckers

Phil Nowack

Phil Nowack

Well-known member
I am getting abundantly tired of plucking ducks buy hand.

I am curious about the pros and cons of the mechanical pluckers? the ones I have looked at have the rubber nubby fingers.
 
Phil Nowack said:
I am getting abundantly tired of plucking ducks buy hand.

I am curious about the pros and cons of the mechanical pluckers? the ones I have looked at have the rubber nubby fingers.
Click to expand...

I heard there is a guy in Huntsville that excels at plucking ducks.
 
I helped put together a plucker like that from Orvis many years ago. By me saying "put together", it came as a motor and rubber drum with rubber fingers attached. I added a hood and Vacuum system.

Very similar to this one-
http://thefowlplucker.com


Pull out the wing primaries and tail feathers, dip in water, and get started. The water was cool, it just kept the feathers from flying everywhere. It took probably 2-3 minute to pluck a mallard so clean, it looked like it came from the store. My buddy passed away a while back, and it disappeared.

Jon
 
I made one from a drum with fingers, bought from eBay or amazon years ago. Set it up on an abondoned router table I was t using. Made a hood, got bearings, belt, pulleys and an old motor to drive it. Set it up with a vacuum. The instructions stated that the bird be exposed to water but I use it dry. Saves plenty of time and does well except on especially pinny birds.
If you want I can post a picture tomorrow.
 
I've using an Orvis plucker for about 30 years or more. It works best with dry ducks; I remove the head,feet,and half of the wing, with a hatchet.3--4 minutes for large ducks. Use it with a large shop vac. Get a few feathers in the garage, but I just open the door and blow them out with an electric leaf blower. I have had to replace the fingers a few times. Geese take a long time so I skin and fillet them.
 
We built one, using a wheel with rubber fingers we bought from cabela's years ago. We just mounted it to an old electric motor with drill chuck. We use it outside at our camp so don't worry about the feathers. It works great, didn't cost much, you could easily rig a shop vac if you wanted. Plucks a teal in about a minute, a big duck in about 2.You already got good input on the wing feathers, I do the same. I prefer to cook my ducks with the skin on, especially if there is fat underneath, even if I just cut the breast meat out, and the plucker makes it much easier.
 
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