Processed 10 of our meaties "Pics of plucker included"....

[Acre of Blessings]

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

 

[jackiedon]

Congratulations Acres on the processing. I bet it feels good to put your own meat in the freezer.

My dd has been trying to shoot a mean rooster with a pellet gun because it terrorize our duck, but the other day she missed the rooster and hit the duck in the juglar. So we cooked duck yesterday.

Let us know how the rest of the birds go.

How old were they? My meaties will be 6 weeks on Tuesday.

jackie

 

[Acre of Blessings]

They are 7 weeks old. We are processing most of them for fryers. But the 12 will be saved for roasters. I pray it won't take to long for them to get roaster size.

 

[Patch of Heaven Farm]

Congrats Acre!!

We just processed our first roos a week ago with 12 more to go. It's great to know we raised our own meat!!! I really liked your plucker idea!

I will try to get hubby to make me one. Anyway enjoy your fresh homegrown chicken!!

 

[CrimsonRose]

Wow Congrats!!!

Wonderful idea on the plucker! I would love to see pics... I've been trying to figure out a cheap way to build a plucker (even the wizbang would cost about 250 if you buy all the supplies like the fingers and such) I never would have thought of the bungee cord!!!

 

[Acre of Blessings]

Thanks, I will get a picture up today for you.

 

[greyfields]

 

[Acre of Blessings]

Here is the pic of the plucker that hubby made. The cord laying across the plucker is attached to the drill and it was convenient to hang the thermometer on there.

The pipe is 14 inches long and 4 inches round. We used one solid rubber bungee cord, cut in half, then cut to 3 inch pieces. We use a flat head screwdriver to force the ends into the holes that we drilled in the pipe. We used a total of 14 rubber pieces for the fingers. It worked great. As you can see the feathers on the ground.

 

[CrimsonRose]

Wow so cool!!! Thanks so much for the pics!!! Looks easy enough to make!!! And cheap too (that's the best part)

Big Hugs and thanks again for the pics!

 

[Acre of Blessings]

YOUR VERY WELCOME! PM ME IF YOU NEED HELP PUTTING A PLUCKER TOGETHER.