Chicken plucker biuld

[PHPaul]

A distribution transformer (the one on the pole that feeds your house) takes single phase high voltage (varies, 2,000vac is pretty much the minimum, can be as high as 35KV, according to Wiki) and performs two functions:

1. Steps it down to 220v

2. Provides two legs plus neutral

This example uses a 7.2KV primary, different distribution voltages are still stepped down to 220v by using more or less windings on the transformer as needed.

EDIT: A bit more research indicates that the two legs are indeed 180° out of phase as far as the AC waveform is concerned. As long as 220 is taken by tapping both legs, it's still considered single phase.

It's rare these days, but older machinery (say, 1940's) did use what is effectively "2 phase" power by using each leg to ground.

 

[rasorbackq]

Kind of funny this morning . Woke up to only half my house with power. Could see one of the 120 lines broken at the pole.
I asked the tech about the wiring.
Only single phase into all houses in Nova Scotia.

 

[joefromga]

It's 240v.

 

[KYErik]

When I built my whizzbang, I used an old riding lawnmower transmission and changed gears until I found one that worked the best. I don't recall what rpm I ended up with but I was using a 1/2hp 1750 rpm electric motor. It has been a few years since I have used it. It worked best when I lightly sprayed the chickens with water with a garden hose nozzle while they were being plucked. It just took 30 seconds in the plucker if they were scalded properly. Every once in awhile they would break a leg in the plucker.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks. I figured it was just a taste thing. Some people like the taste of the skin, so plucking make sense. We're new to raising chickens, so I was mostly just wondering if we where missing out on another reason to pluck a chicken.

 

[rasorbackq]

Eddie If you're eating a layer rooster , you had better keep slow cooking them as they are tough every way they can be cooked.

 

[MossRoad]

So pardon my city-boy ignorance, but if you skin a chicken that means you don't have to bother plucking it, correct?

That would be a decent trade off for me. Personally, I like skin on a chicken. But my wife prefers boneless, skinless.

 

[Renze]

Personally, I like skin on a chicken. But my wife prefers boneless, skinless.

I hate butchering chicken. Lotsa work, little meat. I prefer hog.

 

[MMagis]

With a whizbang style plucker, it almost makes butchering fun. I never figured out the exact time, but I bet it’s less than 5 minutes/bird.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

How do the pluckers work on ducks?

 

[MMagis]

Never done one, but there’s no reason it wouldn’t work the same.

 

[rasorbackq]

With a whizbang style plucker, it almost makes butchering fun. I never figured out the exact time, but I bet it痴 less than 5 minutes/bird.

Wife and I are 6 minutes a bird walking killing scaulding plucking gutting washing dripping bagging sealing and weighing .

 

[rasorbackq]

How do the pluckers work on ducks?

They same on the whiz bang site to scald the ducks for 8 minutes then pluck. I did 2 last week I scalded for 1 minute and half the feather came off. I scald 2 more min and more feathers came off but skin did also.

 

[TnAndy]

I hate butchering chicken. Lotsa work, little meat. I prefer hog.

I like hogs and beef too....but I like chicken as well. Takes us 2 days to do two hogs, plus 1/2 day to clean up the meat room, bandsaw, etc. We can do 30 7-8lb chickens in a day.

 

[rasorbackq]

Well new season and new plucker built. Since I had a spare gear reduction 10:1 and a 1725rpm 1 hp motor that was new and not able to be used on my big plucker . needed 30:1 and a 3450 rpm for that one.
I built it added a couple better mods Then I sold it for $900 only after 66 meat birds through it.
As soon as it sells I get a couple calls to pluck chickens . Mad rush now to get a 3450 motor Did find one at 3/4 hp that seems to work . Sunday will tell a better story if it does.

 

[jabelding]

I went with the direct drive as well found a washdown motor and a bolt on gear box on ebay. I put a few fingers pointing down under the plate it really helps to fling out the feathers also did a spray around the rim helps a lot. Used a roof stink pipe seal around the shaft to keep water off the gear box. No Problem plucking chickens, turkeys, ducks, or geese.

 

[rasorbackq]

How long are you scalding the ducks before plucking??

 

[jabelding]

Usually 3-4 min at 160F also use lots of dish soap in the water to get through the oil in the feathers.

 

[versysrider]

Nice work guy's.

 

[DiskDoctr]

Looks good!

I've found 25-45 secs to scald chickens in a propane turkey fryer pot filled with just boiled water is about right. A little more if the feathers stick, a little less if ANY of the skin tears. If the skin tears, you just scald a little less. Change the water if it gets REALLY disgusting after a while.

I literally count out loud the seconds as I do all the stuff and hold the bird in the water. A good pair of heavy silicone gloves are important to avoid being scalded with the water. I think mine came from a Ronco Rotisserie.

I also count out loud the seconds in the chicken plucker. Again, enough to remove the feathers, not tear the skin. Don't worry about feathers on the neck, you cut that off anyways

Another tip is to get the shrinking freezer bags. After butchering and rinsing and soaking in ice water a bit, put one in a bag, clip it shut, poke a tiny hole in the bag up on the smooth breast area near the top of the bag, then dip it in another (clean water) turkey fryer with the hole just barely below the surface and pull it up out just as it stops bubbling out air. You don't want water getting inside your bag.

This is why the hole is over the breast area- the skin bulges well as the bag shrinks and makes a sort of 1-way valve.

Set the bagged bird in a cooler to drain and cool more. At some point (usually after a batch is done and we need the room), pull out each bird, DRY THE BAG completely, weigh it, and use a piece of quality freezer tape to cover the vent hole and write the weight and date on each bird and get to the fridge as soon as possible.

Now this part is IMPORTANT to fresh chicken. It needs 3-5 days of REST. Either in the fridge before freezing, or after thawing before cooking. We usually give them overnight in the fridge, freeze them, then when thawing later give another 2-3 days to thaw and rest. HUGE difference in the quality.

Studies have shown that resting after butchering and before freezing is best, but only a small difference if flash frozen and resting after thawed. This is how the meat packing industry does it.

IMHO, a day resting in the fridge to thoroughly cool all the way through, then freeze is the most "foolproof" way to prevent any problems and keep the birds the freshest tasting.

Of course, exception is made for one or two birds that get cooked after butchering. They rest in the fridge 2-3 days and go in the crock pot for about 6-8 hrs. Meat just falls off the bone and is...awesome

I'm planning to add a lung scraper with fresh water flow this year. It is supposed to really help cleaning the inside where my hands have trouble fitting.

We'll be culling roosters from this year's new flock next month or so, then planning on starting another 50-100 meat birds, depending how much help commits to butchering, LOL.

Butchering can be a real painfully tedious process if all by hand. A chicken plucker and a few key pieces of equipment can DRASTICALLY simplify and shorten your day.

BTW, I bought a Harbor Freight motor to put on ours and a couple of pulleys and belt. Added a tensioner from an old mower deck for the belt. I also place it all on a slight slope with the motor on the uphill side to keep it clean and free of the water as I spray the bird and clean between birds.

Have fun!!!