Walk in chiller dimensions - large deer.

[75]

Basically, what have you got and what can you fit?

I need to upgrade mine as I'm shooting more reds and my chiller is often the limiting factor on what I can handle. As I've mentioned previously on here, no local game dealers so I have to have facilities to chill and handle the carcasses myself.

I've currently got a dinky walk in chiller that is 1m wide and 1.2m deer (internally) and I'm able to get a couple of decent sized reds in there (2x 100kg stags) or 3 smaller reds (say 75kg hind plus follower and calf). I'm looking to upgrade to a 1.6m x 1.6m room, which would double the footprint I've currently got but it's hard to visualise these these things until they are full of deer so I'd welcome any real world examples.

 

[lochty]

What height is it? Ours is 1.8m high and a big fallow buck only just clears the floor, so I'd check that as well.

 

[75]

Currently 2m (and I've had a 145kg stag in there off the aitch bone) but I'm going 2.2m for the new one!

 

[Tim.243]

What height is it? Ours is 1.8m high and a big fallow buck only just clears the floor, so I'd check that as well.

Change the hanging position and a big one will fit...

 

[VSS]

Basically, what have you got and what can you fit?

I need to upgrade mine as I'm shooting more reds and my chiller is often the limiting factor on what I can handle. As I've mentioned previously on here, no local game dealers so I have to have facilities to chill and handle the carcasses myself.

I've currently got a dinky walk in chiller that is 1m wide and 1.2m deer (internally) and I'm able to get a couple of decent sized reds in there (2x 100kg stags) or 3 smaller reds (say 75kg hind plus follower and calf). I'm looking to upgrade to a 1.6m x 1.6m room, which would double the footprint I've currently got but it's hard to visualise these these things until they are full of deer so I'd welcome any real world examples.

You want as much room as possible, within reason. Cramming carcasses into a small space without much headroom is no good really, unless it's just the odd one or two. A hanging carcass wants plenty of fresh air around it, and you don't want carcasses to be touching one another in the chiller, or touching the walls or floor. And room for you to walk around them is good too, so you can monitor their condition during the maturation period.
You'll want 7ft height to the rail (ideally), so say 7ft 6ins floor to ceiling, and if you've got somewhere to raise them higher still for skinning that will make your life much easier.

The chiller section of my small larder is 8ft x 4ft (× 7ft 6ins high) and I put seven fallow in there at a time. The whole unit measures 8ft × 25ft, with the chiller area only separated by a rubber curtain, so I can hang carcasses in the butchery area as well if I really need to.
I skin them on the winch, outside the larder door, where I have more headroom and can raise them to 9ft. Being able to do that makes a massive difference.

The photo below is taken from the dooway. At the far end you can see the curtain leading through to the hanging area.
it's just an old lorry back converted.


Space in the chiller is pretty tight with 6 or 7. For 5 it's ideal.


(Edit: I just checked the  internal dimensions of the chiller area: It's 7ft 3ins wide x 3ft 6ins deep x 7ft 3ins high).

 

[75]

Thanks @VSS - I've got good headroom outside the chiller with a hoist already installed, and new chiller is nearly 8' high, it's just the footprint I'm mulling over. I don't want to take over the barn / garage but suspect this is one of those occasions where more really is more!

 

[75]

From memory, this fella was about 110kg in my current chiller (6’6” headroom).

 

[VSS]

Thanks @VSS - I've got good headroom outside the chiller with a hoist already installed, and new chiller is nearly 8' high, it's just the footprint I'm mulling over. I don't want to take over the barn / garage but suspect this is one of those occasions where more really is more!

More space = easier carcass handling, in my (albeit limited) experience. Makes life a lot easier!

 

[Klenchblaize]

I need to upgrade mine as I'm shooting more reds and my chiller is often the limiting factor on what I can handle. As I've mentioned previously on here, no local game dealers so I have to have facilities to chill and handle the carcasses myself.

How confident are you of being able to dispose of the increased product arising from an increased cull? I’m assuming your operation is a Small Food Business?

K

 

[75]

How confident are you of being able to dispose of the increased product arising from an increased cull? I’m assuming your operation is a Small Food Business?

K

I'm a registered food business, I supply to multiple farm shops around here plus general public as butchered "venison boxes" which I do via a trade butcher. I've got a waiting list / backlog and on the rare occasion I have surplus, a quick advert on my FB page (currently has 1200 followers, some of whom aren't spammers!) and it's sold within 10-20mins. I did about 1.5 tonnes of venison last season and there is market for plenty more

 

[Sunrise Stalker]

Talking of registered food businesses...what are the rules re: animal waste disposal? Do you have to have this in place before registering?

 

[homer]

My friend has one thats 3m x 2m, and 2.4m high. It only has one straight rail inside, as the cooling unit takes up roof space on the other side, but he can get 7 adult reds in. I wouldn’t go any lower than 2.4m high, as by the time you get the rail, hook and gambrel hanging from the ceiling, youd soon run out of room on a big stag.

 

[VSS]

Talking of registered food businesses...what are the rules re: animal waste disposal? Do you have to have this in place before registering?

I believe you can dispose of up to 25kg (or it might only be 20kg?) per week of low risk (category 3?) larder waste via domestic collection, but you must keep a record of how much and when. Beyond that, it has to go via a licensed waste carrier, and you must keep receipts.
When you register, the EHO will ask you what your arrangements are.

 

[Sunrise Stalker]

I believe you can dispose of up to 25kg (or it might only be 20kg?) per week of low risk (category 3?) larder waste via domestic collection, but you must keep a record of how much and when. Beyond that, it has to go via a licensed waste carrier, and you must keep receipts.
When you register, the EHO will ask you what your arrangements are.

Thanks for the info. Is it acceptable to take any of it e.g. skins, bones back to the woods after butchery?

 

[VSS]

Thanks for the info. Is it acceptable to take any of it e.g. skins, bones back to the woods after butchery?

Once something has entered your larder it becomes food waste, so no. Anything that you remove in the field (ie, before the animal gets into your larder), such as gralloch, head and legs, can be left there.

 

[Sunrise Stalker]

Once something has entered your larder it becomes food waste, so no. Anything that you remove in the field (ie, before the animal gets into your larder), such as gralloch, head and legs, can be left there.

Ah - thanks for clarifying. Cheers!

 

[75]

Most of mine either goes to farm shops in the skin or via a butcher who collects in the skin and brings back all vac packed (and sorts the waste out himself). However, I do have access to a Cat 1 food waste skip through some work I do else where. The EHO was very happy with that option when I need it (I have some ground where I don't leave gralloch as too much public access).

 

[gelert]

From memory, this fella was about 110kg in my current chiller (6’6” headroom).

View attachment 364807

Can I ask where you got those rails from please? Mine is very similar in size to yours,but L shaped.I need to pull my finger out and get a better set.

 

[75]

Can I ask where you got those rails from please? Mine is very similar in size to yours,but L shaped.I need to pull my finger out and get a better set.

Here you go: Sliding Meat Rail System

They are sometimes cheaper in their eBay shop.

A bit of food safe grease inside the rails helps the pace plugs slide and I cut the hooks off and just use the eye. I’ve not used bends but a couple of folk on here have and report they aren’t the best.

 

[75]

Sorry - should say "help the PTFE plugs slide" but too late to edit!