Plucker Build

[OSDad]

Well, I've picked enough birds in my life that I decided to build a plucker.

I have friends who have the skills to help make a great product so I hope my engineering skills are worth their work.

This is the first post, I will be away for a week before I can get back at it.

Plucker plate fabricated by my buddy. Plucker fingers ordered on AliExpress. Great deal at $0.90 USD each.



Splitting the barrel, reciprocating saw is the tool for this. Cut like butter.











YES!! Plate is the perfect size!





This motor was salvaged from an old washing machine. The pulley and shaft hub I sourced John Deere (thats where I work).



Again another John Deere part. I went with a HD mower deck spindle for my shaft and bearings. It has a lubrication fitting and should hold up well. Other nice thing about this was it is splined on one end so that made it easy to source the drive pulley .



This is the drive pulley for the plucker plate. 16inch to reduce the speed from the motor a lot. What we did here was use the intended drive pulley for the mower spindle and welded it to the 16in pulley. That gave me a bit more distance from the barrel and matches up perfectly to the spindle.



The base plate. 1/4 inch aluminum. The spindle mounts to this through the bottom of the barrel and this will mount to a frame.



Spindle Mounting holes in the bottom of the barrel.



Drive pulley ready to mount





Drive pulley mounted



Plucker Plate / Drive Pulley Assembled and spinning smoothly.

 

[OSDad]

We are up and running. I need to finish the wiring and get a spout done for the feather discharge but the hard part is DONE!

 

[OSDad]

Quick video of the operation

 

[tmarsh83]

Very nice.

In the middle of a build of one of these myself in anticipation for meat birds next year. Similar in that the motor is a salvage from a washing machine, as is the drum and base plate.

I need to work in getting the motor re-wired, and plan to use a cutout switch so that when it is plugged in, it doesn't run unless you're holding the switch.

Also need to get the spindle from the washing machine transmission off the drive shaft of that agitator drum, so I can use the same fasteners without fabrication.

 

[OSDad]

Set back tonight. The original switch for the washer motor decided to crap out. The electrical on this is too complicated for me. I'm sending it out with a friend who hopefully can do a simple on off switch

 

[Fat Daddy]

Looks good.... I built one similar. I would suggest a "feather discharge" large enough to easily clean it. They accumulate under the feather plate and are harder to wash out than you'd think they should be! Good Luck.

 

[Tabasco Jack]

Looks good. I used all weatherproof fittings and switch for the electrical. Added a heavy duty 25' extension cord for the plug.
I'd also recommend covering the motor with a bucket to protect it from getting sprayed. I just cut a slot in the side of a 5 gallon bucket and slid it over the motor.



I've added wheels and a handle to it since this one was taken.

 

[OSDad]

Looks good.... I built one similar. I would suggest a "feather discharge" large enough to easily clean it. They accumulate under the feather plate and are harder to wash out than you'd think they should be! Good Luck.

I put some fingers on the bottom side of the plate on an angle and they paddle the feathers out the discharge.

 

[OSDad]

I ended up buying a motor and got it put together. I did a couple birds and it worked great. I hope to get a video next usage.

 

[OSDad]

I harvested my cockerels yesterday. 7 birds are now in the fridge resting.

Here is the set up for the day





Killing cones worked great. This is the way to go.