JAKO inc in Iowa makes a table top chicken plucker powered by an electric drill. Has anyone had any experience with one and if so was it good, bad, indifferent? Worth the $159 or not?

I'm looking because our local processor is closing and the customers for my pastured poultry want plucked, not skinned birds.

-- ray s (mmoetc@yahoo.com), September 20, 2000

Answers

Stromberg's (800-720-1134) also sells chicken pluckers of various sizes.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), September 20, 2000.

Ray, I'm not familiar with Jako. I do know that people who've had little "home" pluckers have generally been unhappy with them. They seem to work for people with a few pheasants, but not someone trying to do a lot of birds. Why don't you try talking to your processor and seeing if you can buy a good commercial machine and possibly some replacement parts (especially the rubber fingers) from them. If they aren't interested in selling to you, see if you can figure out what brand plucker they use and contact the manufacturer. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), September 21, 2000.

Like you I had to stop raising pastured chickens. Up North in Ill, Wis. area we were able to bring our (about 200) chixs to the slaughtered house who did a wonderful job. I am in Ok., how and can't stand the taste of chixs here and want to raise my own again. I read in Joel Salantin(sp) book that a set up was 10,000. that is too much for me to give it a try and break even in 20 years! I may try that Jako myself, do you have a no., just to see if it works, I think 159.00 is worth the experiemeny.

-- Debbie Wolcott (bwolcott@cwis.net), September 21, 2000.

Thanks for the info. The plant has gone out of business and is auctioning thier equipment next week. I came across the Jako as part of my research into equipment values, etc. I'll let you know how it turns out. Anyone in Central WI want to go halvsies?

-- ray s. (mmoetc@yahoo.com), September 21, 2000.

Dear Ray, I haven't used Jako's small plucker, but I have dealt with Kenneth King, the guy who runs Jako. I would give him a very good referal. My husband and I bought parts from him to upgrade our scalder with a better thermostate. He was very helpful with questions we sent him via e-mail about wiring.

My husband and I have processed about 700 pastured chickens this summer and have used three different pluckers. We started with the Pickwick home jr. that stands on its own, has it's own motor and can do one bird/minute. The birds still needed a good deal of "perfecting" after being plucked by that machine. Then we borrowed a freinds automatic plucker that could do 6 birds in a minute. Those came out very nice, but that machine is not made any more. We are now using a featherman that we bought from David Shafer (www.schaferfarsnaturalmeats.com ) and we are very happy with it. It only does 2 birds/batch but they come out very clean.

By the way if you are interested we are selling our pickwick for $250. It's not as nice as a featherman, but it works well for some folks.

-- Kathy Dice (redfernfarm@lisco.com), September 24, 2000.

Can someone give me a number for Jakos. I tried information without luck. Thanks, Debbie

-- Debbie Wolcott (bwolcott@cwis.net), September 25, 2000.

Debbie, Here is info from there website:

Phone (316) 663-1470 E-mail kenking@jakoinc.com Address Jako, Inc. 6003 E Eales Rd Hutchinson, KS 67501

-- Kathy (redfernfarm@lisco.com), September 25, 2000.

Thanks, I received the Pickwood Catalog. I really don't understand it all yet but was a little shock that an electracution(sp)gun is $1500.00. I kinda of hate the cutting the throut method! Any cheaper or used ones out there. Debbie

-- Debbie Wolcott (bwolcott@cwis.net), September 30, 2000.