Plucker chronicles with heritage birds

[Molpet]

I part a lot of them out. Takes less freezer space

 

[aliciaplus3]

I part a lot of them out. Takes less freezer space

These next 3 birds are being sent to friends places for Thanksgiving day.... we did do a batch of turkeys last feb in sausage, Wow it was good! Took more time because we had to cut thr meat from the bones then grind it but Wow! The kids keep telling me we need to make more sausage

 

[aliciaplus3]

Today was the day for our Thanksgiving guests were processed.

I was excited to see how the plucker would handle this boy

we did follow aarts advice and cut off the legs and pulled the tail and flight feathers. The plucker did.... it kept stalling the plucker. Got the turkeys about half plucked. But it was helpful

a pic of the 2 dressed

the little one dressed out at 15.22 pounds and the big one at 22.25 pounds not bad for heritage birds. We did get the chance to try out the turkey fryer to scold the birds.... it worked ok.

 

[Molpet]

Today was the day for our Thanksgiving guests were processed. View attachment 1966204 I was excited to see how the plucker would handle this boyView attachment 1966205 we did follow aarts advice and cut off the legs and pulled the tail and flight feathers. The plucker did.... it kept stalling the plucker. Got the turkeys about half plucked. But it was helpful View attachment 1966209 a pic of the 2 dressedView attachment 1966211 the little one dressed out at 15.22 pounds and the big one at 22.25 pounds not bad for heritage birds. We did get the chance to try out the turkey fryer to scold the birds.... it worked ok.

How old and what variety? 22 is great size for a heritage

 

[aart]

we did follow aarts advice and cut off the legs and pulled the tail and flight feathers.

I think that was someone else... but yeah, good idea for sure.

it kept stalling the plucker.

That's a bummer. Weight was just too much, do you think?
Did the feathers come off easily by hand?
Wondering if your water was the right temp?

We did get the chance to try out the turkey fryer to scold the birds.... it worked ok.

I borrowed one of those tall skinny pots, didn't like it...ended up buying a 13 x13" pot worked, much better, but can't imagine a turkey fitting.

Nice carcasses!

 

[aliciaplus3]

How old and what variety? 22 is great size for a heritage

These were hatched in april. The original eggs came from a friend who got birds from privet hatchery in chocolate and standard bronze. He kept the 2 varieties together and I got eggs from him to start.... we ended up with quite a few black birds and my DD fell in love with them. I also talked s gal out of eggs that had BBW covered by a heritage tom, got one hen and last year we had her in with my black tom, the big one may have been from her, so 1/4 bb? This next yesrs goal is to breed the barring out of the wings on the Tom's and get as big of birds as we can raise.

I think that was someone else... but yeah, good idea for sure.

That's a bummer. Weight was just too much, do you think?
Did the feathers come off easily by hand?
Wondering if your water was the right temp?

I borrowed one of those tall skinny pots, didn't like it...ended up buying a 13 x13" pot worked, much better, but can't imagine a turkey fitting.

Nice carcasses!

Sorry that I miss remembered! I thought it was a good idea as it meant less things poking out getting caught in the fingers. The meat got caught between the moving fingers on the bottom plate and the non moving fingers on the drum. The tail and wing feathers came out with little resistance, and when we finished plucking the birds the feathers were easily pulled just time consuming. We had the scalding water at 150 degrees I think I read that was correct temp for scalding? For the bag shrinking we used 180 degree water, next time I will use 200 degrees

 

[aart]

We had the scalding water at 150 degrees I think I read that was correct temp for scalding?

Yep, that's a good place to start...I go 155 but it can climb from there, hard to control the temp, and skin starts tearing.

 

[Kusanar]

These were hatched in april. The original eggs came from a friend who got birds from privet hatchery in chocolate and standard bronze. He kept the 2 varieties together and I got eggs from him to start.... we ended up with quite a few black birds and my DD fell in love with them. I also talked s gal out of eggs that had BBW covered by a heritage tom, got one hen and last year we had her in with my black tom, the big one may have been from her, so 1/4 bb? This next yesrs goal is to breed the barring out of the wings on the Tom's and get as big of birds as we can raise.

Sorry that I miss remembered! I thought it was a good idea as it meant less things poking out getting caught in the fingers. The meat got caught between the moving fingers on the bottom plate and the non moving fingers on the drum. The tail and wing feathers came out with little resistance, and when we finished plucking the birds the feathers were easily pulled just time consuming. We had the scalding water at 150 degrees I think I read that was correct temp for scalding? For the bag shrinking we used 180 degree water, next time I will use 200 degrees

I wonder if you could put something on a drill, scald them, hang them upside down and scrub them with the drill. I'm thinking a brush of some sort, but might be able to rig a scrubby glove or something similar. I'm just thinking something you can just rub over the bird to remove the feathers. Would probably take longer than the plucker, but for the big birds that the plucker doesn't handle well it might be easier than finishing by hand.

 

[Molpet]

I wonder if you could put something on a drill, scald them, hang them upside down and scrub them with the drill. I'm thinking a brush of some sort, but might be able to rig a scrubby glove or something similar. I'm just thinking something you can just rub over the bird to remove the feathers. Would probably take longer than the plucker, but for the big birds that the plucker doesn't handle well it might be easier than finishing by hand.

They make a plucker that goes on a drill like you are thinking
People say they work if you fasten the drill to a table....and don't mind getting covered in feathers

 

[123RedBeard]

I wonder if you could put something on a drill

You mean like this?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-you-about-my-cordless-drill-plucker.1208308/