Killing equipment question

[Fowler]

Hi
Well I’ve been keeping chickens for eggs now for about a year and it’s working out great.
I think I would like to try my hand at meat birds.
I’ve hunted and have dressed Rabbit, Squirrel and deer, well actually I just killed the deer and had it processed so the butchering won’t bother me…much.
My concern is the feathers. Plucking looks like it can be rough without the machines. The pluckers seem expensive and I’m pretty handy. Can a person make their own plucker easy enough? I can make the cone that I’ve seen on some of the posts and I have an outdoor gas scalding pot.

 

[trilyn]

You sure can, here's the link:

http://whizbangbooks.blogspot.com/2007/12/wb21.html

There's a ton of useful info on this site-good luck!

 

[Buster52]

You know, I didn't remember my childhood experience with chicken plucking being all that difficult, and I was just 8 years old. I thought maybe I just forgot how difficult it was.

But the yesterday I did a couple of roos and it was absolutely simple. Took just a few minutes. Course, I had a good teacher, but still, it ain't that hard.

I can see getting a plucker if you were doing a whole lot of birds by yourself, but for 25 or less I think it is probably a waste of time and money. Even then, it's just because it would be faster. Try a few first and see how it goes before you go investing a bunch of jack.

 

[jaku]

Absolutely- follow that link and build a Whizbang plucker. It will cost you about $300, but the instructions are great and easy to follow, and you'll get a GREAT plucker!

 

[pdpatch]

What equipment you need or get depends greatly on how many you butcher. If you get you neat bird locally chance are you can get smaller number so you won't have that many to process, so you really need less fancy equipment.

If you end up ordering from a hatchery chance are you will have a minumum number you have to order, Usually around 25 or some for most. With this number it is help full but not necessary to have the extra fancy equipment.

I have made most of the equipment we use.

The cone usually take some simple tools and some sort of flat sheet type metal. A pair set of tin snips to cut the metal. Something to bend it around, and something to fasten the ends. Most likely it will be easily to purchase one from one of the hatchery or poultry supply houses, or from Ebay. Using a cone does speed up the process some what.

As far as a plucker goes, I made one from a pvc cap and bungy cords, that we use on a battery powered drill. A corded drill would have much more torque and probebely do a better job. For doing a number of birds in one session it helps a lot. Unless you plan on doing a lot of bird several times a year the economics of making or buying a larger picker is not always worth it. You can also buy a cup type of plucker from a number of hunting and fishing stores, and online for about $30.

With a tube type plucker, which is what the wizbang is, you will need to scald the birds before plucking. with some drum type pluckers you don't, with a cup type plucker (like I made) it works much better to scald.

How many bird, and how often you butcher will give you an idea of were to start for equipment. You can always upgrade the equipment and sale off the old.

Being a frugal person is usually see no reason to spend hundreds of dollars if I don't know if i will keep doing it.


Tom

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

If you are planning to cut the bird up, skin it. Doesn't take any time at all once you get the hang of it. The only time we pluck is if we are keeping the bird whole.

Steve in NC

 

[Judy]

We considered the drill and bungee cord plucker but decided against it as it would throw feathers everywhere. Hand plucking is not that time consuming, we decided. Also, it went much faster when done wearing a pair of those rubbery-palm-feeling garden gloves. But we never processed over 12 in a morning, with at least 3 people working.

I understand that mechanical pluckers can break bones, too, and I don't want that.

Just a couple more factors to consider. Personal choice in the end, of course. If I had a mobile processing business I would certainly have a mechanical plucker.

 

[skeeter03]

definitly go with the dunking in hot water and the rubber palmed gloves - we did it and my dad who is an old pro loved the gloves idea - he said it made it sooooo much easier to pluck - more of massaging the bird really lol.
but we only did like 9 birds that day (ok it was like 2 hours)