New to plucking- help with the pin feather "goo"! PLEASE!!!

[moenmitz]

Ok, yesterday we did 14 roosters, plucked by hand- wasn't too bad. This is only our third time processing, and I am SO hoping there is a better way to get pin feathers...not even sure what these things are actually...the turkens in particular, at the end of their pin featehrs, have this black, oily, "goo"...kind of like a big plug of black pus. Sorry to be gross...only way I am able to get the goo out is to squeeze each one like a zit....Are we doing something wrong?

Scald is 145 degrees, swish them up and down for about 60 seconds.

The feathers all come out pretty easy, skin is not tearing.
Not all of the birds had these, and some had only a couple. As I said, the turkens had millions it seemed- took us about three hours of "popping" to get each turken "zit free"

Did a salt water soak afterwards for about 3 hours and tried to have at them again- didn't seem to make much difference.

What is this stuff exactly, and how do I get rid of it next time?

Blecch.

 

[dancingbear]

It's just the pigment in the feather follicle. The goo's there in white birds, too, you just don't notice it as much. Once the bird is cooked, it's not noticeable, and doesn't change the taste at all. I just try to get out all the actual feather, and rinse off the surface of the skin.

 

[silkiechicken]

Yep, don't worry about it. It happens. The reason white feather birds are used commercially is just because you can't see them... or any missed feathers!

 

[moenmitz]

Hmmm...good to know I guess....but it still is gross. I am kinda OCD, and I had to get every last one of those little buggers. Despite knowing that there is no harm in eating it...I know I am going to have a hard time cooking it that way...so if there are any secret tips for getting them out faster, I am all ears!

 

[Poler]

If you've ever got some dark birds to do, dont worry bout it till later.

Take them to a sink with running water, and a scrub brush, plastic, not metal, and scrub. All that stuff comes right clean off. Even in cold water.

I dressed out a few turkeys early for a gentleman, and I discovered that little trick nearly by accident. My wife was more upset than I was... she had to get new scrub brush.

 

[moenmitz]

Ok, I will try it! Thanks!

 

[sgtdawg]

This thread help me a lot and kept me from asking this question again