First of all we built a plucker using a 4 inch PVC pipe about 14 inches long and we used a solid rubber bungie cord, cut in half and then cut into about 3 inch pieces. We drilled holes in the pipe that is just a bit smaler than the size of rubber piece so that it would stay put. We then put a 16 ince bolt through a piece of wood, 4 inches shorter than the pipe, and then put one end of the shaft into my hubbys industrial drill, and WAHLAH!!!! a plucker!!!
Well the weight of the live bird was about 3 1/2 pounds and we tried using a powerful BB pistol to kill the bird (shootong it in the head) but.......that did not work, so my hubby took a board and laid it across the birds neck, stepped on each end and pulled up. Pretty clean if you ask me.
I then tookt he bird and put it in the orange cone, it was propped in a bucket, so the bird could drain. I then procedded with the bird over to the scalding pot and scalded it for 35 to 45 seconds. After that hubby too the bird and plucked it with the plucker and WOW!!! I thank God for the ideas on this site.
We tried gutting outside, but it was just to cold. Where my hand had gotton wet from scalding my hand was just about to freeze. So we ended up taking them inside to gut. All went well. The birds dressed out at about 2 pounds each. These will make some good fryers. We will be butchering about 13 more on Thanksgiving day. Then we are going to keep 12 so we can get them a little fatter so we can roast them.
All in all, for the first time, all went well and I will be doing this again in the Spring of '09. When we order more for the fall I will order a bit sooner so it won't be as cold (burrrr) outside.
Thanks to all of you who have givin a library of information on meaties. Thanks
Well the weight of the live bird was about 3 1/2 pounds and we tried using a powerful BB pistol to kill the bird (shootong it in the head) but.......that did not work, so my hubby took a board and laid it across the birds neck, stepped on each end and pulled up. Pretty clean if you ask me.
I then tookt he bird and put it in the orange cone, it was propped in a bucket, so the bird could drain. I then procedded with the bird over to the scalding pot and scalded it for 35 to 45 seconds. After that hubby too the bird and plucked it with the plucker and WOW!!! I thank God for the ideas on this site.
We tried gutting outside, but it was just to cold. Where my hand had gotton wet from scalding my hand was just about to freeze. So we ended up taking them inside to gut. All went well. The birds dressed out at about 2 pounds each. These will make some good fryers. We will be butchering about 13 more on Thanksgiving day. Then we are going to keep 12 so we can get them a little fatter so we can roast them.
All in all, for the first time, all went well and I will be doing this again in the Spring of '09. When we order more for the fall I will order a bit sooner so it won't be as cold (burrrr) outside.
Thanks to all of you who have givin a library of information on meaties. Thanks
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