just read an article in the newest countryside magazine on how to build a thermostatically controlled chicken scalder for under $65. You might want to check it out. looks pretty simple
I'm most of the way through them now. For a scalder, I bought a barrel from a local vendor that gets them from Kraft and they are originally for cheese. They are thicker steel than the usual 55 gallon drum and most folks around here use them for burn barrels. I used my turkey fryer propane stove thingy and started the heating early in the a.m. It takes a long time to heat the water, but it was ready in late morning and for the last 3 weeks we have been processing chickens. I have about a dozen left and nobody to help this weekend, so I'll be a busy character on Saturday.
With the garden and all, (and a full time job), it's been hectic. I can't wait to get the meat chickens done. WHAT A TEDIOUS JOB!!!!!! I hate killing them but processing them takes so doggone long it's frustrating. That's even with a plucker that works like a champ. I'm really having second thoughts on doing this again and the only thing is that we eat a lot of chicken.
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