You can defeather a properly scalded chicken in minutes.
If you are raising chickens with self-sufficiency in mind, sooner or later you will need to butcher one and prepare it for cooking. Luckily, removing the feathers does not have to be difficult, nor does it require a plucking machine. With the right technique you can pick a chicken clean in a matter of minutes.
Instructions
1. Prepare for picking as soon as possible after butchering. Waiting too long after a chicken is bled will cause it to stiffen.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. The ideal temperature depends on the age of the bird: younger birds are best dipped into water at 150 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and older birds at 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Dip the chicken into the boiling water head first. You should immerse younger birds for only a few seconds; older birds will require a little longer. If your water is too cold or you do not submerge the bird long enough, the feathers will be hard to pick. If the water is too hot or you submerge the bird too long, the feathers will fall out on their own and the skin may discolor or even crack.
4. Place the scalded chicken on a pile of newspaper to steam. Once you can pull out the wing feathers, it is ready for plucking.
5. Grasp the top of one thigh and pull your hand down towards the foot. Most of the leg feathers should release. Pull out any remaining feathers individually. Repeat on the other leg.
6. Grasp the top of one wing, where it meets the body. Pull your hand down toward the tip to release the wing feathers. Repeat on the other wing.
7. Grasp the top of the neck and pull down towards the body. The neck feathers should come off easily.
8. Pull out the body feathers by the handful, pulling with the grain rather than against it, which can damage the skin. Work quickly to keep the feathers from tightening up and becoming difficult to pull.
9. Singe off the tiny hairs that remain on the chicken over an open flame.
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