THE POULTRY FEATHER PICKING PROCESSING GUIDE

No two poultry plants operate exactly the same, and that is as true in the picking room as in any other part of the facility. While plants may be different, there are certain principles that can be applied universally to ensure a smooth and successful picking process. Scalding Aids Feather Removal Scalding, which initiates the picking process, relaxes the feather follicles so that the feathers can be easily removed. If scalding is not adequate, removing the feathers will prove difficult. Separate scalders for heads and necks, located upstream, are common. Usually between 3 and 6 feet long with a temperature range of 145 to 165 F, the scalder's temperature corresponds with its length. A neck scalder, operated near 150 F, can also be located before the bird scalder. The scalder temperature should be checked before startup and after each break. Agitation is essential for proper feather wetting. Feathers are moisture-resistant and tend to insulate the feather follicles from moist heat. Agitation will break the insulation and allow the follicles to relax, but the amount of agitation requires a delicate balance. Too much and overflow will occur. Too little, on the other hand, will cause birds to float, resulting in uneven wetting of feathers, making picking difficult. The scalder's water level also must strike a balance. Keep the water deep enough to cover the hocks and adjust as conditions indicate. It may also be necessary to adjust the picking line height. There should be downward and backward pull on the birds. When water level and agitation are correct, they will produce this effect. To test for proper wetting, remove birds from the shackles as they come out of the scalder and feel the flanks. The feathers should be wet to the skin with no clumps of dry feathers on the back. Choosing The Right Finger

It is important to choose the correct finger size for feather processing. The key to choose the right finger lies in the neck locking part which connects the finger to the metal disk plate. It should fit well into the metal disk plate’s hole and the tolerance of 0.5 – 1.0 mm diameter is usually acceptable. The finger fits tightly toward the installment and should not be loose. This will prolong the finger’s life and enhance the performance of the defeathering processing.

Removing The Feathers Although the process is called picking, feathers are not picked, but rubbed off the birds using rubber fingers set on drums or disks. The warmer the feather follicles, the easier the feathers are to remove. The most difficult to remove feathers should be picked just after leaving the scalder. For the process to be efficient - and to produce minimal damage to the birds - there must be a plan as to which part of the bird will be picked by each machine. Commonly, the first picker, for example, removes the hock and wing feathers. Then, the second picker removes the quill feathers and with 80 percent of the body feathers. The third picker finished the bird. Using this plan, the most difficult-to-pick feathers are removed first, while the feather muscles are as warm as possible. The warmer the feather follicles, the easier the feathers are to remove. Improperly adjusted, maintained and operated pickers are the greatest causes of plant error in the entire operation. To operate a picker properly, adjustments, maintenance and operation of the machines must be constantly monitored. Fingering The Pickers Improper fingering, usually resulting from broken and missing fingers, will damage birds and cause inadequate feather removal. Fingers must be of the correct diameter, shape and length for their position in the machine and the feathers they are designed to remove. If the fingers are too long, they can break and can damage the birds; if too short, they will not remove the feathers. Fingers must also be correctly positioned. If the fingers are not properly seated and secured, they will fall out of the machine and be lost in the drain or can damage the bird. Any fingers positioned to hit the shackle rather than the birds will be quickly destroyed as well. Finger condition should be monitored every day. Since new fingers are stronger than those that have been in use, it is important to balance the replacement position as much as possible. Picking Finger Maintenance

Commonly, broken fingers are replaced daily and worn fingers are replaced on a rotating schedule — such as every Monday, Thursday and Saturday — rather than replacing them every day. Running the pickers with the banks set too close is the most common cause of premature damage to picking fingers. When fingers are replaced, lubricating the bases with a detergent solution will facilitate their insertion into the heads. Petroleum-based lubricants tend to shorten finger life. Most processors use heated water on the pickers to keep birds warm and facilitate feather removal, especially from the straddle. The water temperature should not exceed 100 degrees F, however, or fingers could deteriorate prematurely. Higher water temperatures will soften the rubber, allowing it to stretch, flare and break. Broken picking fingers can tear the skin of the birds, resulting in re-work from trimming and excess moisture pick-up, so replace broken fingers immediately. Water should always be running when the pickers are in use. Running the pickers without water results in overheating, which can shorten the life of the fingers or surface deterioration, which can lead to bird staining. For maximum life, picking machines should be shut down when not in use. As soon as operation stops, clean the pickers. Fat residue from the birds can cause deterioration, and if the residue dries, it can be difficult to remove. Belt condition, rotation and speed should be checked daily. Many things, such as grease, can cause the belts to slip and thus turn the discs at a less-than-optimum speed. For the same reasons, the bearings on individual banks must be checked to ensure proper operation. A single bad bearing can slow the operation of a bank of discs.

Picker Adjustments

The picking line must be centered on each picker or improperly picked and damaged birds will result. Pickers should be anchored to prevent them from walking off of the line from vibration. Picker elevation must be correct for complete feather removal — usually, the entrance is higher

than the exit end. If the elevation is incorrect, birds may ride-up over the fingers or the fingers will not contact the desired parts of the birds. Picking lines must be adjusted so that the fingers do not contact the shackles as this will cause excessive wear and may cause the shackles to hang up. Guide bars should be adjusted to have just enough space between them for the thickness of 2 shackles; if the space is too wide, feet can escape the shackles, and, if too narrow, the shackles can hang-up causing the line to break. All belts must be properly adjusted and replaced when worn; if not, slipping and/or breaking will occur and the picker will no longer be functioning correctly. Troubleshooting A Picking Problem: When there is a problem with feather removal, the most likely cause is in the scalder. Below is a list of potential causes in the order of frequency of occurrence in the average processing plant.

 Scalder agitation  Scalder temperature  Stunning  Kill cut  Scalder water level  Centering of the picking line  Check the fingering, belts, rotation and RPM It is advisable to keep a record of finger replacement, including where the fingers were replaced, when and why. This can be used to indicate a developing problem with a picker and prevent unnecessary product loss. For More details, you can consult with us for technical support at http://www.heberubber.com/Contact-Us.html

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