Starting in May 2010, small-scale poultry processing equipment is available to rent from the Pierce Conservation District.  The cost is $20 per day of processing and a $40 refundable cleaning deposit is required.

From Featherman Equipment Company (www.featherman.net), this system is user friendly, makes processing delightfully speedy, and is simple to transport. Equipment available for rent includes the Featherman PRO Plucker, Scalder, Dunker, Shackles, Kill Cone Stand, and eight Broiler Cones.  Borrowers will need to provide propane for heating scald water, access to a power source for plucker plug-in, water hose, knives, meat storage bags, chill tanks, buckets, and scrubbing brushes for clean up.  Borrow will also need a small truck or vehicle large enough to transport equipment and a helper to load equipment into vehicle at time of pick up and drop off.

One of the best attributes of the Featherman system is no more hand plucking!  The Featherman PRO Plucker is a plastic cylinder, resembling a washing machine basin with a spinning bottom.  The sides and bottom of the plucker are lined with rubber fingers.  Birds freshly dunked in scald water go directly into the plucker and feathers come off in seconds.  For more information on how this equipment works, visit Featherman’s website for great demonstration videos.

This equipment makes it possible to process anywhere from a small backyard flock of 5 birds to up to 200 birds an hour, depending on skill level and number of helpers.

Plan ahead and make reservations to rent in advance.  Pierce County producers receive priority scheduling; however, producers from  neighboring counties of Kitsap, King, Thurston, Mason, and Lewis Counties are welcome to rent equipment.

A similar program has proven very popular in Mason County, where poultry processing equipment has been available for rent from the Small Farms Program, which is run jointly by the Mason Conservation District and Washington State University.  The Thurston Conservation District also offers poultry processing equipment for rental.

For more information or to schedule a rental, contact the Pierce Conservation District at (253) 845-9770 x104 or x112.