Trouble Shooting

Troubleshooting Featherman Products

Please refer to your manual trouble shooting section. The scalder manual can be found here and the plucker manual can be found here
If you are still having problems, please feel free to call us at (660­) 684­-6035 or email customerservice@feathermanequipment.com.

Featherman Pro & Featherman Gamebird Questions:

How many birds will either plucker pick?
The Featherman PRO and Gamebird will pick four, five­-pound broilers (cleaned weight) or five, four­ pound broilers. It works best when full. Then the birds roll against each other (like wringing your hands together) and the action is very gentle. They can pick one or two birds at a time but the action is a little rougher. It is best to pick at least a dozen quail or doves at a time. Since they vary in size, experimentation will yield the best number. Some folks have done up to 30 or 40 at a time!

Can I pick turkeys too?
Turkeys are a one ­at ­a ­time pick unless they are quite small, under 15 pounds. They will also need some manual assistance to flip around and get all angles plucked. We have personally picked 40+ pound toms clean as a whistle in well under two minutes and customers report picking 50 pound birds just fine.

Do I need spare fingers and do you sell them?
Yes, we sell spare fingers but we don’t encourage purchasing extra fingers until you need them.
They’ll stay fresher that way and experience so far has shown that they are good for at least eight years!

Are there any other parts I will need over time?
The only other wearing part is a standard bearing which we keep in stock. In eight years we haven’t had to replace one yet. The only maintenance required is occasional greasing.

Is there any assembly required?
No. Simply unwrap and plug in to 110V (unless you specifically ordered 220V) current and attach a garden hose. It is then ready to turn on and pluck.

Will the Gamebird model pick chickens and turkeys?
Yes. It is identical to the Featherman Pro in every way except in number of fingers. The Featherman Gamebird model has 249 fingers and the Featherman Pro has 119 fingers.

Where do the feathers go?
The bottom of the plucker is closed except for a chute opposite the operator. The wet feathers slide down the tub walls and are swept out the chute by fingers mounted upside down on the rotating plate.

Will the Featherman Gamebird tear the skin?
The Featherman Gamebird is the gentlest picker made. The combination of very slow RPMs, extremely soft fingers, and a thick bank of fingers – more dense than any other plucker made, produce a very gentle pick. Still, over scalding (too hot or too long) will weaken the skin and allow it to tear. Note: Shot birds and very thin-skinned birds like quail and squab will pick without skin tears when the scald is accurate.

How do I clean my Featherman Plucker?
Simply wash the machine off with a cold water spray when you are finished.

Featherman Scalder Questions:

How many birds will it scald at one time?
Four to five chickens or two turkeys.

What is the right scald time and temperature?
These are the critical factors in a good pick. For each bird type it will be different and this can change with weather, bird condition and size. As a general rule of thumb we recommend beginning with a one minute scald at 145 degrees for upland birds, and 6 to 10 minutes at 165 degrees for waterfowl. Smaller and more delicate birds will require less time and heat; larger and fattier birds require more. Experienced users can tell exactly when birds are done scalding and ready to pick by pulling wing feathers. When the wing feathers release with little resistance the birds are ready to pluck.

Is the Scalder electric or gas?
A 70,000 BTU propane burner supplies the heat. A small electric current is needed to operate the thermostat.

Can the Scalder be used indoors?
Yes, but be very aware that carbon monoxide is a by product of combustion so make sure there is plenty of circulation. There is a side-­mounted chimney to which a vent could be attached but we do not manufacture such an attachment and do not recommend using the scalder indoors without it. Typical installation is outdoors or in a semi­-enclosed building.

How do I clean the Scalder?
Wash out with water and mild soap, cover with the supplied tarp.