My Plucker - Version 1 - Video of birds being plucked

[pdpatch]

This is the type that mounts on a drill

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=130787

There is a video of it in use and some simple instructions.

Tom

 

[freshegg]

I think even I can make on of these for my 6 turkeys. I love BYC its like chicken school lol

 

[purr]

before now I had never heard of a plucker we just always dipped in very hot water and hand plucked, as a child my uncle would give me and my cousins a quarter per chicken. I was the fastest and had more money for candy than the rest.

Does this plucker get all the pin feathers? I hate pin feathers

 

[HorseFeathers]

We're thinking about getting some meat birds if we have a bigger farm and WOW that looked SO easy!

The Favoelle of EE or whatever in the background is like "uh-oh..."

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
Dang I wish I had time to post some pics but I'm in my van sitting in traffic.

Version .5 - 4"PVC cap with 8 to 10 fingers - Running of my Ryobi cordless drill
worked ok - RPMs varied from 400 to 800

Version 1 - 4" PVC x 12" - Used buffer to drive it at 1100 rpm.

Version 2 - 3" x 12" - Intended for a drill, not buffer.

My bungees are 5 inches long. 4" stick out of the cap or tube. I intend
to shorten them for my next try.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Purr & Envirogirl,

It's easy enough but no where near complete. If properly scalded (25 secs @ 150)
it did pull the pin feathers. The wing feathers were the tough ones but can be pulled
by hand.

So far both are a success in being a lot easier than hand plucking the hole bird.

 

[Swamp Roo]

PAchickenchick: I think you might have a problem with the chicken spinning around on you if you did that. You would have to use four ropes, two on the wings and two on the legs. I think I might be willing to pay money to see the look on the faces of people walking by when they see a chicken strung up "spread eagle" on a tree and someone using power equipment on it! What a visual!

If you want to go that route, I'd strap the chicken to a table instead. The table (or whatever) would help hold it still. You could set up a vertical "plucking board" if you don't want to bend over.

PC: Yup egg beaters on boats are cool. I thought about using that 4a084, but I think I'm going with an air cooled VW instead. I can up the power later if I want. Kind of spooky, a stock 1600 has around 40+ hp, but you can up the power to 400 hp on the same platform. That motor is completely modular. Let's see a pic of the "Purple Chicken Pluckomatic 2000" V 2.0. You know if you strap one to your ankle the evil silkies might back off some!!!! BTW you mentioned TSC, they should have all sorts of pillow blocks and shafts. Check Harbor Freight for cheap drills/angle grinders/motors. A variable speed router might be worth exploring, I seem to remember that you can hook up a rheostat(sp?) to a router because of the motor type. That way might be cheaper than a factory variable one. Drive hook up would be easy enough. I think the little laminate trimmers run about $20(?) or so. Not sure if they have enough power. So when is the PC Pluckomatic 4000 powered by a ported, bored, and decked Kohler 40 coming out? A little shot of NO2 for tough birds? Keep the feathers flying.

Swamp

 

[SandraMort]

Totally motivated!!!!! I picked up a washing machine today with a dead motor to fix and whizbang, but was bummed about having to spend 100 dollars on fingers. This is very promising!!! (In case it matters, it's the old style washer with a wringer on the side, very nice with a big drain at the bottom and no auto shut off when you open the lid to hose off the bird).

I'm thinking that between the washer, a motor (which I'm sure we can find on freecycle or CL for free) and these fingers, we may have a whizbang for a very reasonable amount!!!

(And yes, once we get things moving, I'll take pics)

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:

I'm trying to keep this simple and you want me to launch it into space.

I have a small Porter Cable laminate trimmer but they are HIGH RPM. I have a 1KW
rheostat but how many others have one of those?

V2, if I ever get to it will be a simple setup.

I did check out Tractor Supply for bearings. Nothing... They do have a good supply of
pulleys.

Sorry I don't know where to get ya a little Kohler 40. I have a Briggs VTwin setup
for tri fuel (NG, LP or gasoline) with only 92 hours on it. It's a little big for a plucker
and a little small for an airboat.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
A Whzbang will cost around $300 if built with scrap parts. Keep us posted.