PPT019: On-Farm Chicken Processing Help with Transport, Scalding, and Plucking

Grady opens his Texas slaughter house for business, and he's looking for a new apprentice. Apprentices, can go to eagerfarmer.com. Mike's been processing with a group of chefs-in-training at a local-to-him college. So it seems appropriate to spend time answering some really great processing questions from the Pastured Poultry Talk audience.

• Do you put anything between the crates to keep the birds from pooping on each other during transport?
• Feed withdrawal times and manure consistency.
• How many birds do you scald before you change the water in the scalder?
• Check that water level in the scalder.
• What are the lime green tips on the wings that I see when butchering? We take a tangent to Deep Pectoral Myopathy (green muscle disease).
• A listener asks about plucker selection for a USDA facility and about the logistics of opening a facility.
• The value of HACCP consultants.

Need processing equipment? Contact Mike (millsidefarm.com) or Grady (gradyphelan.com) directly. Mike is a dealer for Poultry Man and Featherman while Grady is a Featherman Dealer.

Of course, we love your questions. Send them to [email protected]. And don't forget to share this podcast with your pastured poultry friends.

Educational resources. 

Mike or Grady mentioned the following resources duringt the show:

• APPPA (American Pastured Poultry Producers Association)
• Niche Meat Processors Assistance Network
• Eager Farmer to find apprentices or an apprenticeship (Tell Sheri that Mike and Grady from Pastured Poultry Talk sent you)