teaching responsibity.........

[farmboy]

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]

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]

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?????