DIY Poultry Plucker
You can't wait to grill your fattened chickens and share them with your neighbors. You do the quick job of killing the chickens and then remember you have to pluck every single feather on their bodies. "Ugh, I hate this part," you think to yourself. Imagine hand-picking each feather. Save yourself the trouble by making a simple and highly effective feather plucker.
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Things You'll Need
- Drill
- Nut and washer
- PVC end-cap
- Six bungee cords (rubber and squared; cloth-coated will not work)
- All-thread rod (small diameter)
- Heavy-duty scissors
Instructions
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1
Drill a hole into the end-cap. Drill a hole the size of the all-thread rod at the center and bottom of the PVC end-cap.
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2
Make slits into the sides of the PVC end-cap. Drill 12 slits on the sides of the end-cap, spacing them equally. The slits need to be the same size as the rubber bungee cords in both length and width; the ends of the rubber bungee cords will fit tightly into these slits.
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3
Remove the S hooks from the bungee cords by twisting each hook through the hole in the cord.
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4
Cut off the ends of the bungee cords. Measure and cut a few inches from the ends of the cords using heavy-duty scissors. You should end up with a total of 12 ends measuring at least 2 1/2 inches each.
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5
Insert the 12 rubber ends through the 12 slits on the PVC end-cap. The widest end of the rubber (where the S hooks used to be) should be on the inside of the end-cap to help secure the pieces in place.
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6
Remove any bit that is on your drill, and attach one end of the all-thread rod to the drill where the bit was. Pull the other end of the all-thread rod through the hole in the end-cap, and secure it with a washer and nut.
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7
Connect the drill to your electricity source, hold the plucker several inches away from your body, and press the drill power button to test that it works. The rubber ends should stay in place and the end-cap should spin at an appropriate speed for its job.
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Tips & Warnings
Cloth-covered, round bungee cords do not work for this project; use the solid-rubber, squared bungee cords instead.
You may consider adding silicone glue to the rubber ends when attaching them to the end-cap.
This plucker works best when the chicken has been soaked in scalding water. Consider securing the drill to a workbench or tripod with the button taped down to allow safety and control.
Wear gloves and eye protection for safety and cleanliness.
Never allow a child to hold the chicken while it is being plucked.
To prevent electrocution, never use the plucker near water.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit feathers on grass image by Nino Pavisic from Fotolia.com Electric drill with a drill on a white background image by terex from Fotolia.com veintilation slit image by marilyn barbone from Fotolia.com scissors image by dinostock from Fotolia.com
