More Rwandan poultry farmers and cooperatives now sell dressed chicken to supermarkets, hotels and restaurants instead of live birds. Dressed chicken sells at a higher price, but buyers expect clean, well-presented carcasses. A small, well-designed processing line makes this possible.

The process flow

1. Stunning: an electric stunner makes the bird unconscious before slaughter. This is better for animal welfare, and birds bleed out better.
2. Slaughter and bleeding: birds are held in killing cones so that blood drains fully and quickly.
3. Scalding: controlled hot water loosens the feathers (see our article on scalding temperatures).
4. Plucking: a drum plucker with rubber fingers removes feathers in under a minute per batch.
5. Evisceration and washing: on stainless steel tables with clean running water.
6. Chilling and packaging: fast cooling in a cold room keeps the meat safe and extends shelf life.

Design principles

• One-way flow: live birds at one end and clean product at the other, so there is no cross-contamination.
• Stainless steel on all food-contact surfaces.
• Balanced capacity: the plucker, scalder and team must handle the same birds per hour.
• Easy cleaning: smooth welds and no hidden corners.

Complete lines from A-Z

A-Z Manufacturing builds chicken stunners, scalders, pluckers and cold rooms and can plan a complete small abattoir layout sized to your birds per day, with installation and operator training.