Does anyone else work alone when processing?

[speedy2020]

Quote:
I am the only one taking care the chicken. It seems no one in the family has interest beside eating egg. Will build one when I am x-mas break. What is the size of the hole that the rubber bungies in?

 

[rhoda_bruce]

For the most part, I am on my own, as well. I only pluck the wings. The rest gets skinned. Its healthier anyway and much faster.
Well that's how I handle chickens anyway. Now if we were talking about ducks or geese, I wouldn't dream of letting that skin or feathers go to waste.
I am not opposed to getting a plucker and I might if I can get it for the right price. I might do the drill job. But as far as me spending hundreds of dollars on a plucker....I'd have to do it as a business, because I consider it not cost effective, otherwise.
My neighbor went hunting and gave us 15 water chickens 2 weeks ago (I don't know how to spell it the way we really say it, but that is the English words). Well, luckily for me, my husband helped me do the job. It is a very nice thing to help someone with......cleaning poultry.

 

[wood&feathers]

I just did 2 Cornish x this morning. I plucked them in 20 minutes each. I find that as long as I only want to kill a few, hand plucking isn't a big deal. Skinning is even better.

 

[ShadyHoller]

Quote:
I've been meaning to build a drill plucker, but until I get around to it, the singeing method works just fine. We scald and hand pluck the big feathers and also the pin-feathers that are sticking out far enough to get a hold of, and then we lightly go over the bird with a butane plumbing torch. It's got a trigger flame ignition, and it singes the tiny feathers off in a second. The carcass is still damp from the scalding, so it doesn't get burnt or discolored. I don't know exactly how long it takes to go through the steps of scald, pluck and singe, but it's not too bad.

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
Water chickens?

 

[Tropical Chook]

Can anyone come up with some ideas as to what I could use for fingers with a drill plucker because the bungies here are not the same as the ones you have over in the states. Here they consist of loads of fine elastic threads rather than a sturdy strip of rubber. I already have everything else in place, but no fingers, and while I can order some online, the shipping to Thailand is costly. I can also get them here, but only in bulk

Any suggestions will be very much appreciated.

 

[Salt and Light]

Do you have available any thick rubber floor mats? Maybe something for the car, kitchen or garage. It doesn't matter what it's for because you are just going to cut them into narrow strips.

 

[Kassaundra]

Or engine belts? At least that is what they look like to me in the pics.

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Don't look for "bungies", look for "tie-down straps". If you have a petro station that focuses on big trucks look there for the straps. Otherwise look at the automotive parts stores. I would think that ya'll use them over their for strapping down tarps and stuff the same as over here.

I would think automotive belts would be too hard on the flesh with the fabric inside them, they probably wouldn't be as "grippy" either as solid rubber.

Just some thoughts.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

I too am doing the bird chores by myself but have not tried to process by myself yet. The first two birds (and the last I have tried) I had my father show me the ropes and it took us two hours if not more to do the two birds. And Dad was doing most of the work. I have 14 drakes to process and I am dragging my feet. I keep hoping that I can pay someone to process them for me but as of yet I have not found the person to do this. By Dec 15th I need to start on Freezer camp!