How to pluck a goose: 7 quick and easy ways at home and how to properly clean

How to quickly pluck a goose is well known to those who have been breeding poultry for a long time, including geese. There are many techniques, they are divided into dry, as well as with the use of moisture. Experienced goose owners know that the main thing is to correctly choose the time of slaughter. Plucking a carcass is considered a time-consuming task that requires skill and patience. During the process, it is important not to spoil the down and feathers, as they can be used to make pillows and blankets.

Preparing the goose for the plucking procedure

Before sending the bird for slaughter, a number of preparatory measures must be taken.For example, 12 hours before the procedure, send the goose to a dark, dry room so that the bird does not stain its plumage and peck at the droppings. During the day, the goose is taken to the pond to swim, and then, instead of water, they give him a weak solution of s alt to cleanse the intestines. Feeding is done last 12 hours, and water is given 6 hours before slaughter.

Proper technique keeps the carcass looking good

After slaughter, it will take some time for the blood to gradually drain from the carcass. She is hung by the paws for a few minutes. During this time, the blood completely flows out, and it is much easier to work with the carcass further, and the meat acquires an attractive presentation. At the same time, subcutaneous fat solidifies a little, which prevents damage to the skin during the removal of plumage.

In order for the procedure to go quickly, it is important to correctly choose the time of slaughter. According to tradition, the procedure begins immediately after the end of the molt, since during this period it is easiest to remove the feather.Readiness is determined simply - they raise the wing of the goose and run their hand under it against the direction of growth of feathers. If the palm feels the so-called stumps that remain after changing the feather, then the molt has passed, and you can start killing the bird.

How to quickly pluck a goose at home

Before slaughtering poultry, the owner chooses a suitable method for removing plumage. There are many methods. Some of them involve the use of improvised items. Some of them do not keep the feather and down in the proper form during the plucking process. This should be known in advance if you plan to use this valuable material in the future.

Dry method

Dry plucking

Dry method is used only after slaughter. The advantage of this method is that it does not require any special equipment. The whole procedure is done manually.First you need to tie the wings and paws of the carcass with a rope. Next, you need to conveniently place it on any surface, for example, a table. Pinch the goose with your hands, starting with large and ending with small feathers.

You need to understand that large feathers are attached to the skin more densely, so it will be harder to deal with them. First of all, you should start with the wings and tail section. Then move on to the chest, neck and legs. The tail is processed last. Feathers removed from the armpits of the wing are subject to culling. You can throw them away.

When choosing this plucking method, it is important to keep in mind that it will severely injure the skin of the carcass as it is subjected to intense stress.

Scalding

Pre-scalding carcass

The scalding technique is popular because it has a number of advantages. The method is considered the fastest of all and effective, because feathers are easily removed after scalding, while the skin is elastic from exposure to boiling water.The disadvantages include: difficulties in pulling out a hot pen and the inability to use it after getting wet.

The correct algorithm of action:

Prepare a metal bowl and teapot.
Heat water to 80 °C.
Tie the wings and legs of the bird with rope or wire.
Put the goose in a metal basin and pour hot water from the kettle until completely immersed.
Pull out the carcass and immediately proceed to the plucking procedure.

You need to act quickly, before the skin on the goose's carcass has cooled down.

Cold way

To use the cold method, you also do not need to use special tools or tools. All that is needed is to place the goose carcass in a refrigerator or other cold place. Enough 3-5 hours. Only then can the pen be cleaned. So the goose carcass will cool after slaughter, and the subcutaneous fat of the bird will harden.This will allow you to remove feathers much more efficiently and faster in time.

An important nuance: to avoid soiling the feather, you should put a small piece of cotton wool in the bird's beak. The popularity of this method is that during the procedure, you can sort the pen according to size at the same time, saving time later. At the same time, the skin of the goose remains intact. The method is often used by hunters in relation to wild birds.

Pump application

Carcasses after plucking

This method will require a pump to inflate a mattress or bicycle tires. The procedure is performed strictly in a certain sequence. First of all, it is necessary to correctly position the pump. The hose should lie in the cavity between the skin and the neck. The carcass is pumped with air until the plumage begins to rise on the skin at its base. To prevent the pumped air from escaping, the bird's throat should be tied up with a rope in advance.

It is important to start removing feathers from the back, gradually moving from large feathers to small specimens, and then down.

Using an iron

You can remove the feather with an iron that has a steam function. However, in addition to it, you will additionally need:

pump;
rope;
a small piece of cotton fabric or plain gauze folded in 3-4 layers;
cool water.

Put the pump tube carefully into the space between the skin and the neck. First, the neck should be tied with a rope. It is necessary to work with the pump until the feathers are in a vertical position. It is important not to pump so that the skin does not start to burst.

Next, wet a piece of cloth with cold water and wrap it around the carcass completely. Now you can iron it from all sides by turning on the steam function.The fabric can be removed when it is dry. You should immediately begin to remove the plumage with your hands, periodically pulling the goose. If plucking is difficult on some part, then the procedure must be repeated, again using the iron and steam.

Drill bits

The most time-consuming, but at the same time, the fastest procedure for removing a feather using a variety of drill attachments. This method is used by those who have a large herd of geese. The clamp of the drill (you can also use a screwdriver) is attached to the table, then turn on the device and start cleaning the carcass.

Removing a pen with a drill

Before starting work, the carcass can be butchered, and in the process of removing the feather, the goose must be stretched, holding the paws with your hand. Experienced owners clean one carcass in 3-5 minutes.

Easy Feather Removal Technique

Barring finger bowl

The simplest and fastest way is to remove the feather using some special tool. The bird needs to be cleaned on its own after exposure to the device, however, the time for the procedure is significantly reduced.

Such equipment can be bought in specialized stores or made by hand. This will require a suitable cylindrical metal container. Many use drums from washing machines.

The principle of action is based on the use of special structural parts made of rubber - hammer fingers. Rotating, they remove the feather cover of the goose. The device will be especially useful for owners of a large number of birds, as it performs a large amount of work in a short time.

Singing off goose carcass hairs after plucking

No matter what method was chosen to remove the feather and fluff, after the procedure, the carcass must be singeed. You will need a soldering iron or gas torch.

During the procedure, you need to stretch the skin of the carcass a little so that it does not roll. Soot should be avoided, so do not bring the bird too close to the flame. If this nevertheless happened, it is necessary to roll the carcass in bran or wheat flour. In this way, the appearance of a characteristic taste and smell is avoided.

Collection of feathers from a live bird

Feathers from a live goose are harvested during its molt. In this case, only old feathers are removed. Before starting the procedure, you need to tie the bird. Plucking should be done exclusively on the chest and back. In this case, you can not remove all the plumage at once, because the bird will experience discomfort. If blood appears on the skin during the process, the manipulation should be stopped.