KILLING AND PLUCKING OF POULTRY.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XV, Issue 2, 20 August 1917, Page 79

KILLING AND PLUCKING OF POULTRY.

F. C. Brown,

Chief Poultry Instructor

While there are many different methods of killing fowls, the most common is by dislocation of the neck. Providing this is properly carried out it is undoubtedly the most expeditious method, and gives the bird the minimum, of pain. The usual way of performing this operation, by holding the head in the hand and swinging the bird round and round until the neck is broken, is a most cruel practice. The best and simplest method is as follows : Hold the bird firmly by the legs in the left hand, at the same time grasping the wing-feathers in the same hand so as to prevent the bird from struggling ; next take the head between the first and second fingers, of the right hand, and bend it backwards as far as possible ; then draw the neck downward, and by a sharp but not too strong a pull the neck is dislocated close to the head, when death immediately takes place.

■ Immediately the neck is broken the -plucking should commence, as the warmer the bird the more easily will the feathers come out, and the less risk is there of tearing the skin. Muscular action will take place for . a short time, but if the operation is properly done practically no pain is suffered. This is obvious for the reason that the brain, which is the base of;all feeling, is severed from the body, except as regards the skin surrounding the neck. Where it is not desired to pluck the bird as soon as it is dead it should be allowed to • become quite cold before the plucking is commenced, as a halfcold bird is much more difficult to. pluck than one that is either hot or extremely cold. . . ■ •

In plucking a bird the operator should sit down on a seat about 20 in. high, a box of the same height being placed at the right-hand side to catch the feathers. The bird's head should be allowed 'to hang downwards, so that the blood will run to the neck, otherwise the blood is apt to remain in the body and give the carcase a dark appearance. Care must be taken that the legs and the wings' are held firmly in the left hand until the bird has practically finished struggling, as their movements are apt to interfere with the work of plucking. . •

The tail-feathers are the first to be pulled. These are firmly grasped in the right hand and slightly twisted, and with a sharp pull they are torn out with the one - movement. The feathers on the

back are next pulled. If these are taken between the thumb and forefinger: of ’ the right hand and/pulled downward they, will come out-quite easily. After cleaning the back the bird is turned round, the breast and sides being treated in a similar manner. . As the breast is the most tender part of . the bird, it is necessary to properly clean this as soon as possible, as the skin is apt to be torn in the plucking process if the bird is allowed to become half, cold, especially in the case of' very young birds. When the breast and sides have been completely plucked, ’ the under-part surrounding the abdomen should

be stripped. The wing-feathers in turn may then be • taken. The whole of these are gathered in the right hand, and with, a sharp pull towards the head they are entirely drawn out. In plucking the legs the bird is held straight upwards, taking one shank at a time in the left hand. The forefinger • and thumb are closed tightly round the hock- and run sharply down the thigh. This will bring out the bulk of the feathers, the others being .plucked in the usual way. :: ;

Of course, there is a knack in pulling feathers properly which can only be gained by experience. When plucking a fowl the bulk of the feathers should be drawn the reverse way to that in which they

lie upon the body. A common custom is to dip the bird in boiling water before plucking.- This method has • much to recommend it, especially where the bird has been dead for some hours, or if it. is hurriedly wanted for cooking purposes. For marketing, however, scalding has the effect of giving the carcase a soft appearance, which often reduces its' value for market purposes. Birds should be fasted for at least twelve hours before killing ; the carcase will . then keep longer. . . - - .

The accompanying photographs, which were taken to illustrate these notes, will help to make clear the methods described.