Butchering Supplies for Harvesting Chickens

[FunClucks]

I use a 20 Qt canner (retired, just the bottom pot part) over a freestanding burner used for turkey frying outside. I heat the water until 145F, and use a candy thermometer to check temperature. I dip about 30 sec at a time, then pull the bird out, drain a second, then try to pull out a pin feather. When pin feathers come out easily, bird is done scalding. Plucking is not too much of a pain if you have a good height table and a chair. It takes me 1.5 hrs from clucking to ice to skin a meat chicken. This includes parting out the bird once a clean carcass is obtained, and ziplock bagging the pieces prior to putting them on ice. It takes me 2 hrs if I pluck, and put the whole carcass on the ice. This does not include time to get water up to temperature.

I think you'll have trouble with that 15 minute timer. I have a high BTU burner like 60,000 BTU or something, and it takes about 30 minutes to heat up the water. Definitely keep an eye on it.

 

[Molpet]

I started with buying a used turkey fryer. Hot water from the house and when it got close to temp I put it at the lowest setting.... which was too hot and I had to add cold water....or too low flame went out by the time I got back with the bird.

The blasted timer I put tape on it so it couldn't turn.

I have found the older or bigger birds do better for me at a higher temperature.
145 to 160 f is my range usually 150.

Nowadays I turned up the water heater and get 160f out of it and skip the propane heater. I kill 2 maybe 3 birds at a time anymore and the water stays hot enough for those.
A couple drops of dawn does make a difference with water getting through the feathers.
I dunk until the long wing feathers come out easily.

I use about 6-9 gallons of water for a 16 wks cockerel and about half as much for a heritage turkey... Getting the turkey butt covered can be a issue, I have flipped. .

I do have a plucker, which takes about the same time for a couple birds if you include cleaning the plucker. But it's easier on my back.

 

[aart]

@aart, your bent ladle flame checker is a brilliant idea.

Thanks, I was mighty pleased with it.
Because it was a PITA not to be able to easily see the flame level.
Except.....
It was my favorite ladle and I couldn't find another with the shallower bowl needed for this application.