Pin Feather Hell, Please HELP Me!

[PineBurrowPeeps]

So far today I have processed 6 birds all by myself, 3 were already picked up by the customer and I'm delivering 5 to another tomorrow.
I have two more outside waiting to be processed.
But the pin feathers are killing me! I have literally been at this since 11:00am and I having to sit with tweezers at some points to get them out.
Is there anything I can do to speed this up?!

 

[FrenchHen]

you can wax them like one waxes body hair.
Don't know how well that will work for you at this point.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

The easier and quickest would be to skin the chickens. Then you don't have to worry with the pin feathers. Another thing would be to scorch them off. Put some rubbing alcohol in a shallow pan (just enough to cover the bottom), light it with a match, and then hold the chicken above the flame.

 

[kingmt]

Use a plucker & then a dull knife. Use the knife like you are scaling a fish. The perfect scald is the most important part. Heat water to 150~ & dip quickly only a few times. As soon as feathers can be easily removed from the wings spot dipping. I sometimes find that the tail are still hard to pluck so I will turn it over & dip that part only in the water.

If you have the water to hot or dip it to long is worse then not long enough or to cold.

 

[miss_jayne]

i use needle nosed pliers if they are stuck. the key is to pull one at a time.

also, pithing the bird makes a huge difference. if done properly, the body relaxes (i don't know the technical terms) and the feathers aren't 'clamped' down on.


you want i should fly over and help? you can hold the pliers and i'll hold the chickens!

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Are you singeing the carcass with a torch?

Jim

 

[wisdom_seeker]

Pluck the wing feathers first. They are the 1st to cool after scalding.
I get the wings "perfect" before removing any other feathers.

They say that an automatic plucker makes things many times better.

You should get one so that I can borrow it!

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Quote:
I have a better idea, you build one and I'll rent it form you!

 

[patandchickens]

I realize this doesn't help you right now, for which I apologize, but next time see if you can't choose your processing age for when they have the fewest pinfeathers. That'll help a LOT. So, either once the first crop of 'feathering-out' feathers is basically in, or wait til 15+ wks when the adult ones are mostly in.

I don't get too obsessive about pinfeathers since I've only ever processed birds for our own consumption (I know it's different if they're for sale) -- for yourself, you might consider just putting up with 'hairy armpits' and such

The stragglers also seem easier to remove after the bird is frozen and thawed than when it was fresh, if that helps any.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Brunty_Farms]

For the ones you just processed it's too late... use a pair of small needle nose pliers... It sucks I know... I use to do this too!

Next batch you butcher make the water a little hotter. The feathers and pin feathers should just rub off with your hand without pulling.

Try 155 - 160 and see if it helps. If the bird stiffens up really quick it's too hot.... if the feathers pull out hard, it's too cold.

More than likely your water is too cold.