DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF A SEMI-AUTOMATIC CHIKEN DEFEATHERING MACHINE

A device for defeathering poultry birds was created.The device was driven by a 1.5kW electric motor and had a defeathering chamber with rubber pluckers organized in an array on top of it, as well as a feather plate.The machine's single-phase (defeathering chamber) was tested at three different working speeds: 200, 280, and 360 rpm.The pulley diameters and a variable resistor system were used to alter the speed.To assess how scorching temperature and rotor speed affect feather retention, plucking effectiveness, and defeathering time.Old layers, or spent hens, known as Isa Brown birds were put through five scalding temperature tests in the machine: room temperature, 30, 50, 70, and 100C.The feather retention rate and defeathering duration dropped as operation speed rose, according to the results, but plucking efficiency improved.The compiled data's ANOVA test reveals that defeathering speeds had no discernible impact.While feather retention and defeathering duration were seen to decrease with an increase in scalding temperature, the assessment parameters were significantly impacted by the temperature.Up to 700C, the plucking efficiency rises with increasing scorching temperature before declining.The maximum plucking efficiency of 98.5% was achieved at a rotor speed of 360 rpm and a scorching temperature of 100C.It was advised to run the machine at a speed of 280 rpm or higher and to scald the surface at 70C based on the physical examination and findings.