Solid and Reliable!
We have used this for just over a season and have run more than 300 birds through.  We have run the Cornish Cross as well as the Rangers and the KEY - to this or ANY plucker working effectively, IS the SCALD. ( more on that in a moment )<br /><br />The company provides information on the product and you can look up the videos they have on unpacking, and setting up.  You can choose to remove the protective plastic, or leave it on.  I am fine with this level of instruction - as I have used the web to find most of our information on the various aspects of raising, cleaning and why we should be eating our own birds.  =)<br /><br />The Good -<br />  Shipped and arrived faster than expected, and without damage.<br />  Heavy duty construction seems durable, and after 1yr+ is still running like new<br />  Worked as advertised<br />The Not So Good -<br />  Switch is &#34;encased&#34; to be water proof, and the combined effect of a HEAVY DUTY switch and the water tight enclosure make it difficult to get it switched on and stay on.  Requires a little practice, and wearing gloves for scalding make this more difficult.  Good news is - that it is heavy duty and waterproof...<br />  You need to be &#34;Quick&#34; on the water sprayer when you turn it on.  So ONE person doing the scalding and operating of this machine is coordinating the chicken, off/on switch, and the hose.  You can PURCHASE upgraded models that have sprayers built in, and for the money, to some it might be worth it.<br /><br />I am giving this 5 stars because the value of what we paid, and the claims of what it can do are met or exceeded in all cases.  The negatives I mention are necessary in my opinion to be offered at this price point and meet safety and reliability.<br /><br />*SCALD*<br />In all cases I can trace back to &#34;SCALDING&#34; as being responsible for damage to our chickens when plucking.  When we started using this, we used a flame and a thermometer, and had issues.  The WIDE variance in temperature made it clear to me that SCALDING was responsible for the results through the plucker and not the plucker itself.  When temps were right, for the entire scald - the pluck was perfect.<br /><br />As we progressed through the year and into this year - we improved our scalding until we now have a 2 degree variance and run Reds slightly warmer than Crosses.  Knowing that In Either case, use lots of flushing water during the pluck to wash away feathers and cool the bird.  If the scald was correct, the feathers were released and the machine does the job of removing them and expelling them efficiently.<br /><br />LAST IMPORTANT NOTE - Rinse and Clean this machine well after use.  Feathers biodegrade, but not without their own stench.  There are fingers pointed DOWN to expel feathers and stuff, but it will not get EVERYTHING.  As with all your stuff, take care of it, and I would expect this to take care of you for as many years as you need!
Rating: 5 stars