A reciprocating poultry chiller auger including a bearing, such as a simple cylindrical bearing, mounting the shaft of an auger-type poultry chiller for both rotation of the shaft and for linear reciprocating motion of the shaft along its axis. The shaft may be reciprocated backward and forward along the axis of the shaft by, for example, a hydraulic cylinder that alternately pushes and pulls the shaft so that it slides linearly in a reciprocating fashion within the bearing. The reciprocating motion of the auger provides agitation of the chilled water in the poultry chiller thus improving contact and heat transfer from poultry carcasses into the chilled water.
