100 Broilers and Fermented Feed Project

[aoxa]

Yes, I do my own. We skin the ducks. Plucking takes a VERY long time with ducks.

I imagine.. Water would not penetrate the feathers quite like a chicken.

I'm glad you mentioned one little important note here. I need to ask him if he is going to "do the deed" or does he want the deed already done when he gets here or as we go. I think I can get someone to do the deed, so it won't be so much work on him. I won't even ask him about that. then. For $1.00 a bird, I don't want him think that I'm trying to take advantage of him by having him doing that AND plucking and gutting. And as you stated, I don't want him handling them any kind of way.

I missed where you said that he was just going to pluck and gut. At least he is doing the hardest parts.. well besides cleanup.. Cleanup is the worst part if you ask me... You are so tired by the end of it.

 

[Coralietg]

I will definitely get his contact info and send to you.

Thanks

I was telling my partner about how many meat chickens you were raising, plus all your other animals. He was pretty amazed and no longer horrified over how many chickens I have, lol.

He just got a whole lot of lumber and tin, for free, for removing it from an area for his boss. Now he just needs to decide on what design for a chicken tractor he wants to build.

 

[foreverlearning]

I'm glad you mentioned one little important note here. I need to ask him if he is going to "do the deed" or does he want the deed already done when he gets here or as we go. I think I can get someone to do the deed, so it won't be so much work on him. I won't even ask him about that. then. For $1.00 a bird, I don't want him think that I'm trying to take advantage of him by having him doing that AND plucking and gutting. And as you stated, I don't want him handling them any kind of way.

Culling is quick, bleeding out and the rest take the most time so the person helping you cull doesn't have to be there all day. If he is doing all the hard work for you then making sure you have dedicated guts and feathers bins as well as a knife sharpener on hand will help him a lot. Because you have so many you will want to find the biggest pot possible for scalding...possibly 2 if you have them. The feathers soak up a lot of water so you will loose water level in the pots. Start making and storing ice now, it takes a lot!

 

[Angelicisi]

We went through 25 bags of ice last weekend...we make ice and bag it and just keep making it to keep a freezer full. Lol especially in warm weather! And had to refill and heat a 2nd 30 gallon scalding pot of water too. We only did 17 last week, definitely be ready to refill scalder water with that many! Never thought of saving feathers from the CX great idea about pillowcase wash!
I'd stuff and zip tie it shut and wash it.

Culling is quick, bleeding out and the rest take the most time so the person helping you cull doesn't have to be there all day. If he is doing all the hard work for you then making sure you have dedicated guts and feathers bins as well as a knife sharpener on hand will help him a lot. Because you have so many you will want to find the biggest pot possible for scalding...possibly 2 if you have them. The feathers soak up a lot of water so you will loose water level in the pots. Start making and storing ice now, it takes a lot!

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I don't do the icing step; rather I bag and freeze asap. SO as soon as the bird is plucked clean and gutted, ( I do a neat clean job) the bird usually doesn't need anymore washing off, and is usually dry, so I bag and freeze.

What do you want to do with all the guts?? Harts, livers can be sorted easily. Gizzard takes further cutting and peeling the insides out. Necks in a bin, intestines in another bin which needs to be very large. Will he scrape the lungs out too??

Yup-- those feathers steal a lot of the hot water. I often start plucking while the bird is still over the hot water so most can drain back into the pot. A second pot would be wonderful.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Yes, I do my own. We skin the ducks. Plucking takes a VERY long time with ducks.

I imagine.. Water would not penetrate the feathers quite like a chicken.

I'm glad you mentioned one little important note here. I need to ask him if he is going to "do the deed" or does he want the deed already done when he gets here or as we go. I think I can get someone to do the deed, so it won't be so much work on him. I won't even ask him about that. then. For $1.00 a bird, I don't want him think that I'm trying to take advantage of him by having him doing that AND plucking and gutting. And as you stated, I don't want him handling them any kind of way.

I missed where you said that he was just going to pluck and gut. At least he is doing the hardest parts.. well besides cleanup.. Cleanup is the worst part if you ask me... You are so tired by the end of it.

We once tried using the wax but that was a hot mess. Never again.

Yes, he will gut and I am so glad.

Tell me about your cleanup. What do you do?

 

[kuntrygirl]

I will definitely get his contact info and send to you.

Thanks 

I was telling my partner about how many meat chickens you were raising, plus all your other animals. He was pretty amazed and no longer horrified over how many chickens I have, lol.

He just got a whole lot of lumber and tin, for free, for removing it from an area for his boss. Now he just needs to decide on what design for a chicken tractor he wants to build. 

Great score on the lumber and tin. Free is ALWAYS good.

I'm glad that you have eased his mind about the number of chickens you have.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I'm glad you mentioned one little important note here. I need to ask him if he is going to "do the deed" or does he want the deed already done when he gets here or as we go. I think I can get someone to do the deed, so it won't be so much work on him. I won't even ask him about that. then. For $1.00 a bird, I don't want him think that I'm trying to take advantage of him by having him doing that AND plucking and gutting. And as you stated, I don't want him handling them any kind of way.

Culling is quick, bleeding out and the rest take the most time so the person helping you cull doesn't have to be there all day. If he is doing all the hard work for you then making sure you have dedicated guts and feathers bins as well as a knife sharpener on hand will help him a lot. Because you have so many you will want to find the biggest pot possible for scalding...possibly 2 if you have them. The feathers soak up a lot of water so you will loose water level in the pots. Start making and storing ice now, it takes a lot!

The person helping me cull? NOT! You mean the person who will be culling. I don't do ANY culling. I will be working on something else while the culling is going on.

 

[kuntrygirl]

 

I'm glad you mentioned one little important note here. I need to ask him if he is going to "do the deed" or does he want the deed already done when he gets here or as we go. I think I can get someone to do the deed, so it won't be so much work on him. I won't even ask him about that. then. For $1.00 a bird, I don't want him think that I'm trying to take advantage of him by having him doing that AND plucking and gutting. And as you stated, I don't want him handling them any kind of way.

Culling is quick, bleeding out and the rest take the most time so the person helping you cull doesn't have to be there all day. If he is doing all the hard work for you then making sure you have dedicated guts and feathers bins as well as a knife sharpener on hand will help him a lot. Because you have so many you will want to find the biggest pot possible for scalding...possibly 2 if you have them. The feathers soak up a lot of water so you will loose water level in the pots. Start making and storing ice now, it takes a lot!

I don't do the icing step; rather I bag and freeze asap.  SO as soon as the bird is plucked clean and gutted, ( I do a neat clean job) the bird usually doesn't need anymore washing off, and is usually dry, so I bag and freeze. 

What do you want to do with all the guts?? Harts, livers can be sorted easily. Gizzard takes further cutting and peeling the insides out. Necks in a bin, intestines in another bin which needs to be very large. Will he scrape the lungs out too??

Yup-- those feathers steal a lot of the hot water. I often start plucking while the bird is still over the hot water so most can drain back into the pot. A second pot would be wonderful. 

I"m thinking I want to bag and freeze ASAP as well. I don't want to have to deal with all kinda ice.

I will keep all of the guts. I will do as you said and sort them in separate bins. Not sure about him scraping out the lungs. If he doesn't, I"ll be able to do it.

I think I may be in over my head here.

 

[aoxa]

Tell me about your cleanup. What do you do?

Plucker needs cleaned, floors vacuumed and mopped, sinks and counters all disinfected (along with surfaces in the vicinity) **before AND after processing counters need to be disinfected**. Guts bagged and brought to curb, feathers in compost pile, knives, pots and cutting boards need to be soaked and washed very well.. it takes a good 45 minutes to clean after, but it feels like hours when you are so tired from killing, plucking, gutting and bagging.