After culling, I take each bird by the feet and swish in a fine gallon bucket of water to which I have added about a teaspoon of dish detergent (any brand). Swish until the feathers get soaked and the bird is wet to the skin.
This gets some of the dirt off so that your hot water stays cleaner (in switching to clean water you'd have to wait till the new batch comes up to temperature). It also breaks down the waterproofing oils a little so that when you put the bird into the scalding water it permeates more quickly.
Take the wet soapy water bird (again by the feet) and plunge up and down, swirling around into the scalding water. Best water temperatures vary. I have done birds in Arkansas and now live in The southern Rocky Mountains at much higher elevations. I used to scald about 140-145. Now I scald about 151-153. So you may have to adjust to a particular temp that's successful for you.
How do you know what's working? Swish for about 20 seconds and test pull one of the largest wing feathers. If it slips out easily, your bird is ready to pluck. If not, swish 15 seconds more and try again. If it doesn't pull easily, you need to up the temperature.
I don't ice bath. I go straight to a table and start pulling the large feathers- wings first, then tail. Once those are out the the remaining small feathers "pluck" easily with a good swipe of my hand- wing, wing, back and neck; flip bird to swipe the wing, wing, front, legs, and neck. Go back over to make sure it's mostly clean.
Then I take it into the house to put the carcass under running water and slip out and feathers I've missed. Cut the feet off at the joint, the head at the top of the neck, and it's on to evisceration.
Pretty slick. But. There as many ways to do this as there are people that do it. Give yourself permission to adjust and you'll find a "formula" that works so easily for you you'll wonder why you ever thought it was an exact science.
Good luck!
