Stromberg’s Chicken Scalder Review

Aside from a poultry plucker itself, a high-quality poultry scalder is one of the most valuable tools available to homesteaders who raise meat birds, as it makes plucking feathers (whether manually or mechanically) a breeze. 

After having raised chickens for eggs for several years, we began raising broilers in the spring of 2024. Even before placing our order for 30 chicks with Murray McMurray hatchery, we began shopping for poultry processing equipment, including restraining cones, a scalder and a plucker. 

After several days of reading reviews from other homesteaders and comparing the models offered by various brands, we decided to purchase a scalder and plucker from Stromberg’s Chickens. 

Since then, we’ve used that equipment to process a variety of birds — including broilers, incubated roosters we had no use for, spent laying hens and also turkeys. In this review, I’ll share our experience with the 14.5-gallon entry-level scalder we initially purchased and explain the reasons why we recently decided to upgrade to the much larger pro model.

Here are the most important things to know:

• Stromberg’s 14.5-gallon model is incredibly well built and offers enough room for one to two birds at a time.
• The unit is relatively easy to clean and comes with a removable inner basket that catches feathers and other larger debris.
• The pre-heating time varies depending on ambient and target temperature, but around 2 hours is typical.
• Once the target temperature is achieved, the unit does a good job of keeping the water hot.
• Scalding is quick and efficient, especially if you agitate the birds to ensure the water penetrates the feathers and reaches the skin.
• If you want to scald larger birds (like turkeys or geese), or multiple birds in one session, I’d recommend a larger unit.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of this scalder, let’s briefly recap why you should consider a scalder in the first place. 

After all, our grandparents often processed poultry without relying on such tools.

Why a Poultry Scalder Matters on the Homestead

Depending on the type of poultry in question, plucking feathers without prior scalding can be a real chore, and can take much longer than you might care for. By immersing a dispatched bird in hot water (for chickens, “hot” means approximately 145° F or 63° C) for 30-60 seconds, you loosen the bond between the feathers and the skin, causing the feathers to come out more easily without cooking the meat or breaking the skin.

Combined with using a plucker — a machine that uses rotating rubber fingers to pluck the feathers — you can reduce the time it takes to pluck a bird from 10 minutes to 30 seconds. If you multiply that by the number of birds you want to process, you can see how much of a time-saver the right processing equipment can be.

But even if you pluck by hand, I’d argue that with proper scalding, you can cut your plucking time in half. 

With that out of the way, let’s discuss the 14.5-gallon poultry scalder from Stromberg’s that we’ve been using, along with its pros and cons…

Specs and Setup

The 14.5-gallon model (shown above) is the smallest scalder in Stromberg’s product lineup. It has a relatively small footprint, which makes it ideal for smaller spaces and for those who don’t process more than 30 birds at a time. 

We usually raise 20-30 birds twice a year, which is generally enough to provide us with sufficient chicken meat for the year (we eat mostly red meat). 

As previously mentioned, the scalder holds approximately 14.5 gallons (55 liters) of water, and it can be plugged into a standard 110V/15A outlet. It features an analog temperature control knob with a range of 32° F to 230° F. We usually set ours to 145° F when processing chickens and turkeys. 

With an internal basket size of 10 inches in both directions, you can easily fit any chicken breed, including oversized Cornish Cross (although you shouldn’t be raising Cornish Cross for meat). 

We usually scald one bird at a time, which allows us to agitate the bird in the hot water by holding it by its legs without using tools (e.g., a stick). However, if you prefer to use tools for agitation, you can easily fit up to two birds at a time. 

Performance and Ease of Use

The only downside to using this scalder is its relatively long preheat time, especially in cold weather. We once processed meat birds relatively late in the season, when temperatures were dropping, and it took well over two hours for the scalder to reach the target temperature. 

While I don’t have any hands-on experience with propane scalders, I imagine that they’d heat up significantly faster. Practically, the preheat time is generally not an issue for us. On processing day, I come down first thing in the morning to plug in the scalder so it’s hot by the time we begin processing. If your goal is to start processing birds right after waking up, you could use a mechanical timer that turns the scalder on two hours before you wake up. That way, the water will be hot by the time you’re ready.

The good news is that once the scalder is hot, it’s quite capable of maintaining the desired temperature – especially if you close the lid when it’s not in use. 

Its scalding efficiency is top-notch. We scald each bird for approximately 30-90 seconds. The exact time varies by bird, agitation and water temperature, but I usually start pulling feathers by hand after the bird has spent 30 seconds submerged in the water. If the feathers come out easily, it’s ready to move to the plucker. If not, I scald for 10-15 more seconds.

Once we have scalded all the birds, I open the drainage valve on the front to allow the unit to drain. When all the water is out, I let the inner basket cool down a bit before pulling it out and rinsing everything off with a garden hose. The entire post-scalding clean-up takes less than five minutes. Once the scalder is clean and free of debris, I let the sun’s UV light sanitize it. Once everything is dry, I store the scalder in the basement so it’s ready for next time.

Build Quality and Durability

The smallest poultry scalder Stromberg’s sells is made of 201 stainless steel, which offers reasonable corrosion resistance if appropriately maintained. 

Practically, that means you need to fully drain it and allow it to sun or air dry before storing it to prevent surface rust from forming over time. If you’re in a hurry to return the scalder to storage after a processing session, I’d recommend wiping it dry with a towel. Otherwise, do what we do and leave it exposed to direct sunlight for a couple of hours. (We’ve had our unit for a year and a half, and it’s still spotless.)

One area you need to pay attention to is to plug the scalder into a dedicated 15A outlet that’s not shared with another power-hungry appliance. 

One time, we plugged the scalder into a shared outlet that was also used by a powerful cold plunge chiller, and it overloaded the circuit, causing the unit to overheat and, ultimately, shut off during the preheating phase. 

After having to replace the partially deformed plug (caused by overheated wires), we learned our lesson and only used a dedicated circuit going forward. If you want to be on the safe side, consider using a dedicated 20A outlet to give yourself some breathing room.

Safety and Energy Use

Speaking of outlets, since scalding poultry involves the combination of water and electricity, I highly recommend plugging the unit only into outlets equipped with a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) and ensuring that any extension cords you may use are kept dry (especially the connectors). 

In terms of operating costs, the scalder draws about 1.65 kilowatts at full power — or roughly the same as a hair dryer or large space heater. Depending on the electricity rates in your location, you can expect to pay between 20 and 25 cents per hour of usage.

Price and Discount Code

When we purchased this scalder in 2023, it retailed for $349.99. Since then, the price has increased to $389.95, which remains very reasonable considering the product’s quality and the time it saves.

Shop Stromberg’s Poultry Scalders

Note that Stromberg’s gives Kummer Homestead readers 10% off with code kummerhomestead10. (That drops the price back to what we paid in 2023.)

Is It Worth It for the Kummer Homestead?

The short answer is yes! This scalder has already paid for itself several times over, considering how much it has sped up our small-scale poultry processing operation. 

That said, we outgrew this unit when we began processing turkeys. A tom (male turkey) at 16 weeks of age barely fits into the 10×10 scalding basket. In fact, we had to remove the basket to scald our turkeys last year, which prompted us to look for larger alternatives.

We decided to go all in and invest in Stromberg’s Professional Poultry Scalder, which features a 29-gallon capacity, a 4000-watt heating element, and an air inlet to create bubbles (so you don’t have to agitate the birds manually). While this scalder may be overkill for our relatively small operation, it’ll make processing day run even smoother than in the past.

If you need more capacity than what the smaller scalder offers but don’t have the budget for the pro unit, I recommend the 26-gallon version, which is built the same way as its smaller sibling but with a larger basket to accommodate three to four chickens at once.

Electric vs. Propane Scalders

If you’ve been part of the homesteading movement for a while, you’ve probably seen some homesteaders use propane to heat up the water inside a large pot for scalding poultry. 

We have not used propane before, but based on what I’ve heard from others, the heat-up time is much quicker than with electric heaters. Additionally, you can continue to scald your birds even in the event of a power outage. Lastly, fewer “moving” parts means less risk of something breaking that cannot be replaced quickly and inexpensively.

The downside to propane scalders is that it’s difficult to obtain consistent results in terms of temperature. So you’ll likely spend more time babysitting the scalder to ensure consistent temperatures throughout the scalding process. 

I’m a sucker for streamlining processes and appreciate the hands-off approach of electrical scalders. Ultimately, it depends on your individual situation and goals to decide whether an electric or propane scalder is the best choice for your homestead.

Final Verdict: Stromberg’s Is the Best Chicken Scalder For Most Homesteaders

The bottom line? It’s inexpensive, relatively small, easy to set up and use, and saves you an enormous amount of time. 

We’ve had great success with poultry processing equipment from Stromberg’s and highly recommend it. The 14.5-gallon scalder was working flawlessly for broilers, roosters and spent egg layers, but the introduction of turkeys necessitated an upgrade to a larger unit (which we’re looking forward to using with our next batch of turkeys). 

So, if you’re in the market for a high-quality scalder (or plucker), look no further than Stromberg’s.

Now I’d like to hear from you! What equipment have you found to be most helpful in processing poultry? Share your recommendations, tips and tricks in the comments or let us know if you have any questions.