[LeJambon]

Hi,

I am rearing 30 geese this for christmas and am hoping to take them to a small scale abbatoir/slaughterman who can kill them and pluck them for me. Does anyone know of any in the west country, Wiltshire/Somerset border in particular? Does anyone have experience of this?

We have kept 12 or so up until now and it is a lot of hard work dealing with them at Christmas as most people want them delivered fresh all at the same time! So 30 will probably be too much for us to do on top of everything else.

Any help would be much appreciated
Cheers,
Ed

[harry]

youll be lucky... round here norfolk there used to be 3 or 4 that would pluck and dress them but over the years as the old boys packed it in noone wants to do them now.

[robert waddell]

you will just need to develop these hand muscles

[chrismahon]

I tried to find someone who would do 20 chickens and drew a complete blank. Even the big producers here ship all their birds out for slaughter and processing. Thre are no small producers. Thought about buying my own plucking machine but even the small ones are expensive and still leave a lot of hand finishing.

[colliewoman]

You could ask the lovely peeps at Kimbers Farm in Charlton Musgrove, they do loads of birds in the run up to Christmas. If they can't do it , I bet they would know someone who could.

http://www.kimbersfarmshop.co.uk/

[daddymatty82]

where in wilts? there is a goose supplier that may add your birds to his kind of thing out wooton basset way

[princesspiggy]

Thought about buying my own plucking machine but even the small ones are expensive and still leave a lot of hand finishing.

has anyone tried those pluckers that u attach to a power tool? r they any good?

[robert waddell]

we have one if you want to buy it

[suziequeue]

I have heard the power tool pluckers aren't that good. Why are you selling yours Robert?

Chicken pluckers are expensive. This summer I am planning to build my own electric powered one. I have the plans which are easy to follow and the parts are easily available. Not sure they would godo for geese but the author of the plans is very approachable and he would be able to comment.

At the moment the biggest hurdle is finding one of those blue plastic drums that most builders and allotment holders seem to have but I can't find for love nor money (although - I have to admit - I haven't really looked that hard yet.

[robert waddell]

well Suzie it is one of those things   Lillian wanted it and against my better judgment i bought it
i have this terrible burden to carry about  always being right and once again i was proved right   

[suziequeue]

well Suzie it is one of those things   Lillian wanted it and against my better judgment i bought it
I have this terrible burden to carry about  always being right and once again I was proved right   

Oh God Robert - I so identify with Lillian there  ..........

.......but I did listen to my husband about the drill plucker

The site for the motorised chicken plucker is here:

http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.co.uk/2006/09/whizbang-plucker-story.html

The plans are excellent, easy to understand and the author responds to emails promptly and helpfully.

A video of its use is here:

Whizbang Chicken Plucker
It's probably a load of snake oil but I am going to try it when I can get a suitable builder's barrel

[colliewoman]

If you are in Somerset any time, drop by and I can get you one of those barrels for a fiver

[robert waddell]

yes but will it work with turkeys     now i have Lillian saying you could make one of them
don't think so i was brought up with strong health and safety  ideas and the first is water and electricity don't mix and that is electrocution just waiting to happen

[suziequeue]

I forgot to say that the plans are not free on the website and the plucker would still cost a bit to make but..... it looks like a fun project.

I think as far as the electric is concerned - the barrel part is somewhat separate from the motor - no different from - say - a food processor or juicer or - do you remember those orange squash dispensing machines in cafes with the two oranges going round and round???

[lill]

Yeah Robert water and electricity don't mix, I've introduced you to the washing machine, dishwasher, kettle and still you have not bother your arse to see how they work, oh sorry i made you switch the kettle on for me when i was working slicing and dicing the pig, it would be nice to hear you say I WILL PUT THE DIRTY DISHES IN THE DISHWASHER huh fat chance of that you don't even know where the f---ing handle is.