hi all whats the water temp for plucking chickens and how do i gut them and prepare them for freezing/eating thanks scott
hi all whats the water temp for plucking chickens and how do i gut them and prepare them for freezing/eating thanks scott
The water should be about 57c to 60c. Soak the bird for 30-45 seconds, until the wing or tail feather pull out fairly easily. then pluck the bird before you starting cutting it, hang it by its legs and make sure all the pin feathers are gone, then remove the feet. Then get a very sharp knife just below the rip cage make a long cut towards the tail. The start taking out the guts, don't forget to save your favorite internal organs. then place the bird in clean water. place in a zip lock bag and freeze..
Last edited by Pugo; 2nd June 2011 at 03:23 PM.
All system tests are now recorded at http://aquaponics.scorched-revolution.com/ So if you are interested in my system tests. go there
Hi,
The most complete treatment of the subject of killing and dressing chickens that I've ever seen, can be found...here. The site also features several good ideas for those who are planning to set up their own small scale poultry processing operation.
Gary
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer
www.microponics.net.au - for candid dialogue on integrated backyard food production.
www.urbanaquaponics.com.au - the home of the Online Urban Aquaponics Manual.
That is a complete guide to doing in your chicken for sure.. Good post!
All system tests are now recorded at http://aquaponics.scorched-revolution.com/ So if you are interested in my system tests. go there
Agree with Pugo..thats a ripper read you've linked to Gary..I've bookmarked it, thanks!
Hi,
It would be fair to say that poultry processing is not my favourite job......but, this morning, I approached the task with an air of anticipation.
As the photos illustrate, the object of my excitement was our new plucking machine. Actually, we bought it months ago but today was our first opportunity to use it.
The last time we had something similar to this was in about 1978. While the build quality on our old machine was better, the new one did the job just as well.
The photos also show how we set the area up for poultry processing.
It took us about two hours to kill, pluck and eviscerate ten broiler chickens. They weighed an average of 2kg (over four pounds) each.....for a total of 20kg.
Gary
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer
www.microponics.net.au - for candid dialogue on integrated backyard food production.
www.urbanaquaponics.com.au - the home of the Online Urban Aquaponics Manual.
I've never actually seen a poultry plucking machine in action before,
Can you elaborate on it a bit more Gary?....for those of us that haven't seen one in operation.
Thanks.
Cheers,
Shane.
My mother and grandmother were the poultry plucking machines at my house..LOL I have never seen one either in action.
All system tests are now recorded at http://aquaponics.scorched-revolution.com/ So if you are interested in my system tests. go there
Hi Shane,
There are two types of small plucking machine.
One consists of a rotary head with rubber plucking fingers. You hold the scalded bird against the rotating fingers and they drag the feathers out. They make a mess, take longer to pluck and are not in frequent use these days.
The device that we use is a called a drum plucker.
As the photo shows, the drum is fitted with rubber fingers. The circular base spins (the speed is pretty critical) and the scalded chickens, ducks or quail are dropped into the top of the drum.
They tumble around the drum and the rubber fingers draw the feathers out.
At a certain point in the whole process, we squirt water into the drum and it flushes all of the feathers down the side of the spinning base and they drain out through the chute on the front of the machine.
This unit removes the feathers from a chicken (or two) in seconds.
If you leave the chicken in the plucker for too long, the skin will be torn, the limbs dislocated and a hell of mess ensues......so it's critical to ensure that the birds only remain in the machine for the amount of time that it takes to remove the feathers.
Pugo, like your Ma and Grandma, we've processed many chickens by hand.
Removing the feathers is arguably the most time-consuming part of the process. We wouldn't bother with a plucking machine if we were just doing one or two birds.....but when you're looking at 10 - 20, the machine is nice to have around.
The other reason that we bought the machine was that we grow ducks and you won't pull too many feathers out of a duck before you start to think that there must be a better way.
Gary
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer
www.microponics.net.au - for candid dialogue on integrated backyard food production.
www.urbanaquaponics.com.au - the home of the Online Urban Aquaponics Manual.
OK, thanks for the explanation & photo of the internal of the drum.
Some more questions,
When plucking feathers from different types of birds....
What do you need to vary?
The speed of the spinning drum base?
The length of time the bird is in the plucker?
Both the drum's speed & length of time?
Also....in your experiences....when using a drum plucker,
Whats the most difficult type of bird to pluck?....and why has that been the case ?
Sorry for the bunch of questions (but if you don't ask....you don't learn !)
Cheers,
Shane.
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