Lux Table Top Plucker - Anyone have experience with this plucker?

[Sunny Side Up]

It's really NOT that difficult to pluck a chicken by hand. If you've never processed chickens before, I'd suggest giving hand-plucking a try before spending that much $$$ on a mechanical plucker. Or messing around with hot wax. If you're butchering a LOT of chickens at every session, several times a year or more, or if you just like making such things, then go ahead. Otherwise, save that money, or spend it a little at a time to buy refreshments for a few friends to come and help you when it's time to process your chickens.

There have been other discussions here about hand-plucking, with tips to make it easier. Or read http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-to-properly-scald-chicken-my-never.html I find it makes a big difference if you tie the bird's legs together and have a place to hang him by the tied legs after he's been scalded. A place that has him at about shoulder height, so you have both hands free to swipe the feathers off. I can do mine in about 5 minutes, most of it is as easy as cleaning the lint out of the dryer trap.

If you MUST have something mechanical, start with a cap you can make to put on the end of your electric drill, it will work almost as well as this $400 machine.

 

[hipeatall]

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I've plucked chickens by hand and no it's not difficult. We are processing 25 to 50 at a time a couple of times a year and, well, for me, that is just too many to do by hand. I do appreciate the post and information.
I'm really just looking for a review on this particular plucker from people that have actually used this particular plucker... I couldn't find anything online so I thought I'd post here and see if anyone who has one could share with me how they like it.
I have used the pvc plucking finger drill bit attachment... I found it very helpful in creating a huge mess

... there were feathers everywhere! It was pretty funny actually...

 

[sonew123]

I dont own one but my friend does. I helped her do 24 turkeys just prior to T day

hers was bigger but same thing and it worked great-the trick is in the scald as someone had said-it almost needs to be perfect to get it to do its job the right way-we did pluck a few pin feathers by hand -per bird-and a few feathers with plyers as nothing we did could get them out!

 

[hipeatall]

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Cool!
Sooooo... were you able to catch most of the feathers in like a trash can or something under the machine? Was it a huge mess to clean up... I'm trying to imagine this set up in my carport

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24 turkeys... I helped do 1 (one!) turkey back in July and it was a TON of work... 24... goodness, I am most impressed!
I agree the scald is so important.
Even with the commercial tub plucker we have used in the past we still have to pull out some of the tail feathers with pliers. I wondered if maybe it depends on breed / age of the bird... as I noticed that our slow grow birds still had a few tail feathers... but another person had young broilers and they were completely feather free out of the same plucker / same scald.
So... how odd would it be to ask the hubby for it as an anniversary gift? I asked for a fancy flashlight to candle dark eggs for Valentines Day... so it probably wouldn't surprise him

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