Photo of our two person processing setup

[greenmulberry]

Quote:
StandardHen, can he even get to a computer? If you email him the link to this thread, he will be able to come here and read it. Here it is:

http://backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=14756

That's the link, or just copy the full address from the address bar of your browser.


Or, you could print this thread and mail it to him, I just hit print and it formatted fine for me, photos and all.

 

[JacobsRewardFarm]

Bremsster - that is a fantastic set-up. I'm taking notes because I have about 6 weeks till my first processing day. What are your killing cones made out of--is that metal? The 2x4s they are attached to look pretty clean

- do you have new ones each time? How hard is it to keep the scalding water temp regulated?

Thanks so much for posting those pictures!

Cindy T.
Parker, TX
(whose husband is drooling at the thought of home-grown chicken, but will probably be across the property from the processing site.... doesn't do "icky" stuff.)

 

[bremsster]

The baskets on the left are just for transporting plucked checkens to to the next step. The killing cones are made out of a roll of metal left by construction guys during a remodel project. Its called "Rolex" used for forming metal around windows and doors, but anything would do as long as its rigid. We make news ones for each processing weekend and throw them out (including the 2x4's) at the end. Some folks buy the killing cones made from hard rubber (Strombergs, etc) and I have seen someone using modified traffic cones too............. The cones can get pretty funky by the end of the 2nd day, but into the dumpster they go. ( the photo shows our setup before we started) We are lucky that our trash hauler will take anything that fits into the dumpster-we double bag the guts with contractor cleanup bags and offer the driver a $20.00 tip when he picks up-he has to live with that truck for that workday.

The temperature for the scalding can be a real pain if its cold or windy, but the pot on the left is heating water to about 180 degrees -I use the one on the right at 145. Every three chickens drops the temperature 1 1/2 degrees, (scalding is 90 secs at 145 degrees) so I put in about one quart of hot water to make up for the drop. The whole process is dependant on the scalding temp-If this doesnt work well we can have a real long day.....................

 

[Omeletta]

Thanks for sharing Bremster. This is very useful stuff! We haven't done mor ethan 14 at a time, but plan on it next spring. Thanks again!