Automatic pluckers

[ctwiggs1]

Any of you guys own one?  Trying to choose between them for next year.

I like the yardbird but it doesn't look like it'll handle a honker.  The only real option it seems is the Fowl Plucker.

Anyone know of other options they've had luck with?

[Badhabit]

I have a buddy that has a "duck naked" plucker. Fits over a garbage can. I'll see if he wants to sell it. I know he hasn't used it for about 5 yrs. If I could afford it I would get a commercial drum/canister plucker that can do turkeys. If you get one that has exposed fingers make sure anyone who uses it wears safety glasses. I've been struck in the face near my eyes a couple of times by leg or wing bone fragments.

[Badhabit]

He put his "duck naked" plucker for sale on the WA Refuge classifieds, $125.00

[ctwiggs1]

Got a link by chance?

[Badhabit]

Send me a pm and I can get you his tel no

[Stein]

I made one for pretty cheap using an e-bay motor, my own head and commercial fingers.  A plywood box with shop vac works pretty good.  I can clean them in the garage with minimal cleanup.

[EyeTooth]

Have you youtubed the Whizbang Chicken Plucker? I think you may be able to rent one. Not sure if they will pluck a goose though. Good luck!

[bigdave]

I have a Whizbang plucker that I built from plans using a treadmill motor. It will pluck chickens and turkeys no problem. I have not used it on waterfowl.

[Badhabit]

My buddy asked me to sell his "duck a minute" plucker for him. 100 obo

[h2ofowlr]

I decided not to purchase one after several tries on a buddies.  It was one of those things that I thought I would need.  Glad I tried it first.   

[ctwiggs1]

I decided not to purchase one after several tries on a buddies.  It was one of those things that I thought I would need.  Glad I tried it first.   

Did it just not pluck well? 

[h2ofowlr]

I decided not to purchase one after several tries on a buddies.  It was one of those things that I thought I would need.  Glad I tried it first.   

Did it just not pluck well?

I didn't think it plucked well and made a terrible mess.  Unless you have a dry bird and shop vac hooked up to it you have feathers everywhere.  I prefer just wetting the thumb and pulling off the feathers.  You can do it very quickly or go for the wax dip if you prefer.

[singleshot12]

We used an old dishwasher rigged up with the rubber fingers ,set it on spin cycle and the duck or chicken was plucked in no time

[Stein]

Shop vac is a must.  You must also have the right plucker fingers or they will tear up the skin.  Once you get it set right, they are money, I can pluck a duck bare with no pin feathers in 1-2 minutes.  Even if I am breasting it, I will do that to get the feathers out of the way and be able to keep the skin on.

[jagermiester]

wax dip. Clean and quick

[sumpnz]

Shop vac is a must.  You must also have the right plucker fingers or they will tear up the skin.  Once you get it set right, they are money, I can pluck a duck bare with no pin feathers in 1-2 minutes.  Even if I am breasting it, I will do that to get the feathers out of the way and be able to keep the skin on.

What fingers do you like for duck vs goose vs chickens vs turkeys? 

[Stein]

I bought fingers marked specifically for ducks.  I tried a couple of chicken fingers and they tore the skin even if I cut them in half lengthwise.  The duck fingers are short and very soft and flexible.

Wet ducks are fine, they actually make less of a mess.  I pluck and then take the shop vac for a little clean up of the few feathers that get away.  It makes less of a mess than hand plucking but a bit more than if you just rip the breast meat out without any plucking.

[ctwiggs1]

I made one for pretty cheap using an e-bay motor, my own head and commercial fingers.  A plywood box with shop vac works pretty good.  I can clean them in the garage with minimal cleanup.

@Stein got pics?  I'd be curious as to how to build this thing.

Curtis

[Stein]

I'll take some next time I use it, hopefully soon.  I bought a motor off of ebay, a coupler threaded shaft thing to a pvc cap and then the rest was homebrew using stuff I had laying around.  The only hard part was figuring out the shape and size of the box so the feathers were sucked up.  If I had to do it again, I would at least buy this shroud as that is actually the most difficult thing to get right:

http://thefowlplucker.com/order-now/

They also sell the right fingers, I can't remember if I bought from that site or somewhere else, but mine look exactly the same.

I used his motor specs to find one on eBay with roughly the same speed.