Well i got my bird last Friday!! 23lbs 1" spurs and 9" beard. so i spread it all out and put borax on it last Saturday (I was part of a university study using it to dry out bear ribs and have a ton left over) how long should i leave it? Thanks

I usually leave mine to dry for 2 1/2 weeks.

the longer the better. If you remove it from what ever it is that you're using to keep it fanned out to quickly, it will slowly begin to fold up a little bit. I like my fans to stay fully open, so that the bottom feathers make a straight line, so I leave them in-between cardboard for a couple of months.

A month is a good amount of time if you ask me....I did a couple fans last year so I had extras for pretty boy and they turned out great in a months time.

I sure hope you fleshed it an got all the meat and fat out, as well as the tail bone.

Then coat the base with some 20 Mule Team Borax. It will dry and harden it much more rapidly.

Just like strutnbuck said, make sure you get the meat and bone out. If you cleaned it real good, two weeks is plenty of time. The more meat you leave, the longer it will take to dry. I get everything off my fans, so I let them sit for two weeks. I have never had one draw up the slightest bit. Whenyou spread the fan out, pin the last two feathers on each side down. Coat down good with the borax. It's all very simple.