The Chicken Plucker?

[rancher hicks]

If you mark your territory, eat asparagus. Then they'll know you mean business!

~S

Thanks for the tip. If it helps I'm all for it. Or are you making fun of me? So far I've no trouble though I have heard there are coyotes not far away.

 

[ScottnLydia]

Not making fun of you, just joking!

Asparagus is supposed to make 'it' smell stronger, that's all. I figure, if you are giving them something to smell, confuse the heck out of them!!!

I've heard of it, but I don't know if it works. It didn't work for me, but maybe that has more to do with my age. I don't think my 'marks' would impress a chihuahua!

~S

 

[rancher hicks]

Well I'm game for anything if it might keep them away and me from having to buy a gun and hunt them down. I mark everyday and every morning and every night. I also mark a lot of places on a lot of trees. If it's working good, if not I still have to go anyhow and I ain't walking back to the house.

 

[ScottnLydia]

ANYTHING to save steps!!!

Are you fenced in? If so, I still would recomend a llama. They are not always expensive, check craigslist. A female or gelded male will watch over over any livestock, even chickens, like their own babies. But the thing that gets me is the "zone" around the property that is protected! THEY DON'T EVEN COME CLOSE! I used to think they were afraid of the smell (they don't have any odor to us) but since coyotes had never encountered them before, how would they know to be afraid?

My latest theory, based on watching him, is that he is hyper vigilant. Always watching. Those huge eyes can spot any movement, even far away, in the dark. So if they want to sneak up on something, they can't because he's always watching... Add to that, if they ever do get too close, he will charge with full fury! I've seen that, I wouldn't want to be on the recieving end!!!

Keep up the good fight,

~S

 

[ScottnLydia]

Not making fun of you, just joking!

Asparagus is supposed to make 'it' smell stronger, that's all. I figure, if you are giving them something to smell, confuse the heck out of them!!!

I've heard of it, but I don't know if it works. It didn't work for me, but maybe that has more to do with my age. I don't think my 'marks' would impress a chihuahua!

~S

Just to Clarify; Asparagus can cause urine to smell strong or even quite foul in some persons, usually those of European descent, I believe. I, being primarily Scottish with some German, am one of those. Others do not have this effect and wouldn't get the joke. I know it has an effect on humans, but I have no evidence of any effect on coyotes.

~S

 

[rancher hicks]

Just to Clarify; Asparagus can cause urine to smell strong or even quite foul in some persons, usually those of European descent, I believe. I, being primarily Scottish with some German, am one of those. Others do not have this effect and wouldn't get the joke. I know it has an effect on humans, but I have no evidence of any effect on coyotes.

~S

I woun't mind a LLama but DW would kill me. Our yard is fenced mostly but a goodly part is not.

As for smelling foul, I'm old I always smell foul.

 

[ScottnLydia]

I woun't mind a LLama but DW would kill me. Our yard is fenced mostly but a goodly part is not.

As for smelling foul, I'm old I always smell foul.

BROTHER !!!

 

[cromschickens]

I have done meatbirds in the past and have both plucked by hand and with a plucker. For me a plucker is the way to go!!!!! Much faster allowing 25 birds to be done it as little as a couple of hours with 2 people. Yes you still have to gut them but they make a nifty tool much like a butt out tool for deer. As the name implies you thread the device in the vent and give it a good hard pull. Works very well, as you become more experienced you will be come just as fast with a knife but the tool is helpful for rookies. If you use a plucker there are several kinds. I prefer a tub type, they are expensive but work well. You can build one out of a plastic 55 gallon drum but you still need an electric motor and rubber fingers, check e bay. Water is the key to this type of plucker working well, I installed some tubing around the top to wet everything down as the machine is used. Also I have found that if the water temp is to high when you dip the bird before plucking it can tear the skin trying to pluck them. I use water between 145 and 150 and that works well for me. I hope this helps, there is nothing better then fresh chicken and if the harvesting part of it goes easier it makes it that much better. I hope someone finds this useful, thanks for reading.

 

[LightningTFarm]

I got the plans for the "Hillbilly Processing Station" here on BYC, the one that uses a drill. I know we can make that one. I bought a GRIT magazine the other day at TSC because on the front it said "Build Your Own Plucker", so of course I expected it to have plans. But no, no plans. Just an article about what this guy went through building his Whiz-Bang plucker. I was so mad - $7 down the drain!! Being the genius he is, I think my dad can just look at the pictures in the article and figure out how to build one. He said he thought we wouldn't need a 50-gallon drum, that just a 30-gallon drum would be big enough to do one or two ducks or chickens at a time. He was raised on a farm and remembers wringing the chickens' necks and plucking by hand if he wanted some fried chicken, so he thinks any kind of plucker is a good deal!

 

[LightningTFarm]

ANYTHING to save steps!!!

Are you fenced in? If so, I still would recomend a llama. They are not always expensive, check craigslist. A female or gelded male will watch over over any livestock, even chickens, like their own babies. But the thing that gets me is the "zone" around the property that is protected! THEY DON'T EVEN COME CLOSE! I used to think they were afraid of the smell (they don't have any odor to us) but since coyotes had never encountered them before, how would they know to be afraid?

My latest theory, based on watching him, is that he is hyper vigilant. Always watching. Those huge eyes can spot any movement, even far away, in the dark. So if they want to sneak up on something, they can't because he's always watching... Add to that, if they ever do get too close, he will charge with full fury! I've seen that, I wouldn't want to be on the recieving end!!!

Keep up the good fight,

~S

Do you have to shear your llama every year? If so, do you do it yourself? Do they require any special hoof (foot?) care? If I could get rid of some of the horses I am feeding around here, I might look into a guard llama - I could trust it not to revert to its baser instincts and eat my ducks and geese.