Am I being anal? Plucking question

[MuranoFarms]

While plucking I often get feathers that break off at the root and there is a little black piece left in the skin. I usually get some needle nose pliers and pull them out. However, sometimes there is a black piece under the skin...not sticking out. I usually squeeze it up (almost like popping a pimple lol) and pull it out with tweezers. Am I being picky? Are these safe to leave in, or would you know you bit into one when you eat the bird? Is there something I can do to keep this from happening?

It feels like this takes way longer then it should and I'm just wondering if I need to relax a little and not be such a perfectionist about it.

Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I imagine you are talking about the pin feathers. The feathers are not breaking off. Those are new feathers growing in. They are really noticeable on dark birds, not so noticeable on light birds like white or buff but they are still there. That's why commercial meat birds are normally white. You can't see the pin feathers.

They do not look appetizing but they won't hurt you. When I pluck a dark bird I take the time to take them out. I do not do anywhere near as good a job on a light colored bird. I usually skin the dark birds instead of pluck to avoid that problem.

 

[MuranoFarms]

That must be it! Every time I pluck I sit there and wonder how the factories get all those tiny feathers out! lol

 

[dancingbear]

Well, for one thing, they aren't plucking by hand. And, if you look close on a store bought bird, they don't get all the feathers out. When I have a store bought bird, a rare occasion, anymore, I look them over closely, and always find some feathers to yank out. Especially on and under the wings.

So now you know, you've been eating them for years.

 

[Beekissed]

You can sometimes scrape the skin with a knife blade to further remove these and the residue left behind by pulling them out. Especially on the meaties....they come out so easily.