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teaching responsibity.........

farmboy

Well-known member
I have an 8 year old who loves going outside with me, so decided this year that I was going to increase her responsibilities around the place, so on top of the three great danes, black lab and miniature schnauzer, and four mini horse chores we bought her a ferret (her moms Idea) also got her a horse for 4-H I ended up with a bottle calf after all was said and done on the calving end of things so she has these chores also. Then we added two goats and Then I got the great idea to buy some chickens, I grew up around them and loved when the whole family got together to butcher them, so now two weeks into the baby chicks I am thinking about the processing, so I am putting it out there, does anyone have a chicken plucking machine that they would be interested in selling, I don't mind picking them by hand but would sure like to make it a little faster with a plucker.

After putting this in print, I think I am the one that is taking on more projects..... :? :???:
 

burnt

Well-known member
It's good to have things for the youngsters to turn their hand at and gain valuable experience. Make sure that their activities are balanced so that it does not become burdensome - that would be counterproductive.

I have a plucker that a friend built out of a piece of round steel tubing about 4" or 5" in diameter, holes drilled in it in which the rubber fingers are stuck, a shaft through the middle and mounted with little pillow blocks onto a wooden frame enclosed in a plywood box to keep the "feather spray" somewhat restricted. Little electric motor, reduction pulley, with a knee switch to start and stop it.

The top half of the drum sticks out of the box and you hold the scalded chicken onto the rotating fingers.

Presto - 1 chicken per minute!

Google rubber plucker fingers and prepare to be amazed by some simple little contraptions that people have built -

http://cdn.backyardchickens.com/0/01/019affe6_21957_bungy.jpeg
 

farmboy

Well-known member
yeah I have found some pretty neat ones on their before, I was thinking about buying one of the tub ones they look very slick, but the smallest one is still $500.

the chores for the little ones do become burdensome at times that is where dad comes in, I do the majority of them but on days off from school and weekends they are all hers (and her mothers) :) With the cows and farming and fencing and everything else I am tapped out on time. I think most of us are that way, aren"t we?????
 
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