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)