Our Mobile Poultry Processing Unit (MPU) is available to rent!

367 NC Highway 58 S, Unit A, Trenton, NC 28585

Thanks to our NC State Extension Animal Agriculture Program Teams Workgroups, we were able to purchase a set of kill cones, a scalder, a dunker, and a plucker.

This purchase came about as needs assessments were done in the area and we received information that this equipment was needed to help farmers process their birds in a more efficient manner with the proper equipment, along with saving drive time to further away rentable units.

Recently, our office has purchased a trailer to house all of the equipment.

We are excited to house the MPU here in Jones County! 

NC Choices also maintains a list of mobile processing units as well as MPU equipment for rent. Click here to view the list.

Rental Requirements

Please read this article entirely to ensure your rental request is approved and you don't miss out on a date you requested! It is first-come first-serve!

ALERT: Starting in the Summer 2026, new renters will need to have attended a Poultry Processing Demonstration workshop before renting the unit. This will ensure the MPU is used properly. View all available workshops here!

FEES

Checks or EXACT cash only! No credit card payments. We do not carry monetary change. Checks can be made payable to NCCE - Jones County or Jones County Cooperative Extension.

• You will be responsible for the cost of the replacement of any equipment you lose during the rental including the key, hitch lock, trailer lock, etc.
• You will have to pay a $20 no-show fee if you do not cancel your reservation and/or communicate with us. Fees will be invoiced to you and need to be paid in full before a new rental reservation is submitted by you.

LEASE AGREEMENT

• At pick-up you will need to sign the lease agreement, then we will have our county manager sign it, and at your request - a copy will be sent to you via email.
• At pick-up you will need to pay your rental fee.
• You are required to bring back the MPU clean and are responsible for any damage caused during your rental (also stated in the lease agreement).

BEFORE RENTING

You must review the following before submitting a rental request.

• We have added a set of turkey cones!
• The propane tank is NOT included - you will need to get one on your own.
• Please plan to set aside at least 2 hours during your rental before you intend to use the scalder. This will allow enough time for it to heat up and be ready for use.
• The MPU is housed in a trailer to be attached to your vehicle. To ensure the trailer does not tip - please keep it hooked up to the vehicle when unloading and loading up the equipment.
  • The trailer will have the manual for Pro Plucker, the manual for the Scalder, MPU equipment, a hand truck/dolly, pictures of how the trailer's equipment should be put back in the trailer, and our contact information for questions.
• Review this article from Consumer Reports: Preparation and Driving Tips for Safe Towing

FAQ

Here are some helpful tips and answers to FAQ:

• Do I have to keep the trailer hooked up to the vehicle when unloading and loading up the equipment?  Yes  - this ensures the trailer does not tip.
• Do I have to use the hose attachment on the plucker? No - In fact, you can use your own personal hose to spray the water into the plucker. This has been the preferred method for our renters and agents.
• Will this equipment support the processing of turkeys? Turkey cones have been added - Small Turkey Cone: For poultry with a dressed weight of 8 – 18 lb.Large Turkey Cone: For poultry with a dressed weight of 18 – 40 lb. Only use 1 turkey cone per side, which is why there are only 4 turkey cones included.
• Can I return the MPU after hours? Yes - Starting in January 2026, renters can select 'After-hour return' when submitting their rental requests. All after-hour returns will need to be returned by 8AM the next business day to ensure the MPU is ready for the next renter. If the MPU is not returned by then, you will be charged the late fee.
• Do you have any tutorials on how to use the equipment? Absolutely - Scroll down the the end of this article for all of our current Resources.

AFTER RENTING

• Review the MPU Cleaning Instructions
• All equipment in the trailer must be cleaned before returning - be sure to include enough time in your rental to clean.
• All locks must be back on the trailer before returning - be sure to lock the side door lock, back door lock, and the trailer hitch lock. There should be 3 locks total (2 silver and 1 yellow).
• Snap photos of the cleaned equipment and complete the online Check-In Sheet
  • A staff member will review your Check-In sheet and inspect the trailer to ensure everything is documented correctly. If any issues come up we will reach out to you.
• When cleaning the MPU - use a small amount of soap. Excessive soap can leave residue, affecting the next user's processed chicken. Food safe disinfectant is also included in the trailer to use.

RENTAL AVAILABILITY

Take a look at our MPU Rental calendar to see what dates are available to rent.

• Pick up the MPU + trailer on the first day of rental
• All dates with 'busy' or anything listed are booked by other clients or our office is closed. Select dates where the date is blank. See example below. The dates outlined in red show you what you should be looking for:

• We are only accepting rental requests that are no more than 3 months in advance. Example: If the month is June we can accept any rental requests up until the end of September.
• Pick up and Return date/time MUST be within our office hours: MON-THURS 8AM-5PM & FRI 8AM-12PM. Pick up/return dates cannot be during the weekend.
• Please try to submit your rental requests at least 72 business hours in advance from the date(s) you'd like to rent. If you need immediate assistance to book a rental please call our office: 252-448-9621, MON-THURS 8AM-5PM & FRI 8AM-12PM
  

Submit your rental request

Additional Mobile Poultry Processing Units are available throughout North Carolina: Click here to view the list.

Questions

For questions regarding renting the unit, rental fees, or the lease agreement please contact our office at 252-448-9621, MON-THURS, 8AM-5PM & FRI 8AM-12PM or Emoni Burgess at emoni_burgess@ncsu.edu

For questions regarding the Mobile Processing Unit or anything poultry-related please reach out to Margaret Ross at Margaret_Ross@ncsu.edu

Resources

• NC Choices, “an initiative of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems in collaboration with N.C. Cooperative Extension,” has a number of newly updated pages with meat and poultry processing resources: Poultry Processing Resources From NC Choices
• Featherman Equipment's website has How-To videos available on their website: Processing Tutorials by Featherman Equipment
• Our Area Specialized Poultry Agent, Margaret Ross, and Southeast District Family & Consumer Agent, Sarah Ware, have created some short videos on how to set up and use each piece of equipment: Processing Tutorials by Jones Extension
• Need a hands-on tutorial? Attend an Extension Poultry Processing Demonstration Workshop. Required for all new renters starting in Summer 2026: View all available workshops here!