What's the big deal about plucking by hand?

[mstricer]

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Do you think maybe your scalding water isn't hot enough, or maybe you aren't scalding them for long enough?

No I use a thermometer. I was thinking it could be that I dunk in cold water after the boiling and that it cools it to much, I'm not going to dunk next time.

 

[eKo_birdies]

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i've plucked over 200 by hand... i say no big deal.

although i am not about to turn down the whizbang the bf's dad had built for us either

 

[Red Maple Farms]

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boiling?

 

[Hillsvale]

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Yup.. that, love it!!

 

[ray2310]

My wife and I processed 6 birds yesterday. Hand plucked. Went very well however I am not going to stop construction on the whiz bang plucker I am making.

 

[BirdBrain]

I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands. Eviserating and packaging are about all my hands can take. Having the new plucker was tremendous. Besides, it is a whole lot easier to get help if you have a plucker. People just seem to come out of the woodwork when there is a new toy.

We made our plucker with a solid bottom barrel and cut a discharge hole on the bottom opposite the motor and it worked fantastic.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I should clarify that it takes me about 5 minutes to get most of the feathers off the bird. I often leave the tail feathers on since I'll be cutting the whole thing off anyway when I clean out the bird. And I also wait until I get the bird at the cleaning table to finish picking off those tiny feathers between the legs. I can take most of the pinfeathers, those spiky new emerging feathers, off by scraping with a dull knife while he's hanging. The little hairs can be singed off later. I always do a final cleaning before cooking or freezing, and will then take care of any stray leftover feathers.

I don't put the bird in cold water after scalding. And I agitate him up & down to get the hot water down between the feathers and to the skin. I've gotten faster as I've gotten more experience, and have taken note of the time I begin to pluck and the time I bring the bird to the cleaning table, and it's usually around 5 minutes.

I also wouldn't mind if someone wanted to make or give me a mechanical plucker (Dear Santa...) but I just want to encourage the folks who think they NEED one in order to process just a few birds. Plucking by hand shouldn't be too difficult or take up too much time.

 

[clothdiaperingmom]

Well I have no experience with this topic as we are just getting ready to do our 1st batch of dual purpose this afternoon. However, planning on skinning not plucking.

Maybe in the future will try plucking, but if so, will be doing turkens who have less feathers anyway.

 

[mstricer]

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boiling?

Not boiling miss use of word 150* sometimes it may have been 160 but try to keep it right around 150*

 

[dancingbear]

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Just getting out most of the feathers in 5 minutes...that makes a lot of difference. I've gotten faster, but the fastest I've managed is about 20 minutes per bird, that was with broilers I got from a broiler op, you know, the runts. They grew fine once I got them, but they were a little older than standard when I butchered, a few a t a time.

I'm also usually plucking dual purpose birds, much harder than CX's. I can get out most of the feathers in five minutes on a broiler, probably closer to 10 on a DP. Another 15 to get out the rest of the feathers. I like the tails, so I don't cut those off, I just cut off the oil glands if I remember. It doesn't affect the taste if I forget, I know for sure because I forget to do it frequently. DP's I'm doing well if I get 2 completely plucked in an hour.

I do have some hand issues, arthritis, carpal tunnel, and not a lot of hand strength. There's a plucker in my future.