We know there were plans for a chicken plucker using a washing machine but can't find it in our old issues. If anybody knows what issue or even what year it was it would help a lot. Thanks,Kate

-- Kate & Dale Thomsen (willowsp@pennswoods.net), March 16, 2001

Answers

e-mail Jim McLaughlin, jrmclaughlin@juno.com He has plans for a plucker/scalder.

or: Write Jim McLaughlin, SoCNY RC&D, 99 N. Broad St. Norwich, NY 13815

The plucker is made with a plastic barrel for a drum picker..

I have the plans, not to detail but with enough pictures "ole dumb me will build in a few weeeks. Hope this helps JR

-- (jr3star@earthlink.net), March 19, 2001.

Saw your question about the "plucker". Maybe this is another idea for you. We never "plucked" our chickens but just skinned them at butchering time. From hen house to freezer took no more than an hour to do probably 30 chickens. chopped their heads off and tossed them into a bucket until they stopped kicking. Opened them up and cleaned them out all outside near the barn and water. Then brought them in the house to rinse out the cavities with clean hot water and pop them into freezer bags. All the messy stuff we did outside. So...if you like skinless chickens this might be something you would want to try. Good Luck !!

-- Helena Di Maio (windyacs@ptdprolog.net), March 22, 2001.

The plans Jim McLaughlin sends out are plans I drew up in 1996 and sold for $5. They were based on a plastic drum plucker my Amish friend made. (I split the $5 with him). Kenneth King of Hutchinson, Ks. - a good friend - saw the homemade plucker and started a business making similar units (see Jako products). In 1999 I imported an automatic plucker which cleaned two birds - the "Featherman, Jr." Now another Amish friend and I are manufacturing the "Featherman" - a hybrid of the original homemade and our imported model. It sells for $950, roughly half the Jako price, and will pick 5 birds or 2 turkeys in 30 or 40 seconds. Photos and more info can be seen at my farm's website, www.schaferfarmsnaturalmeats.com.

--David Schafer, Jamesport, Mo (dna76@grm.net)

-- David Schafer (dna76@grm.net), June 27, 2001.

Here's the URL for that Chicken plucker and other equipment. The plans, I believe, include a scalder and chiller and other equipment as well.


-- Sojourner (notime4@summer.spam), June 27, 2001.