PLUCKING AND STUBBING. 



qualms of conscience upon that score. If, how- 

 ever, it is impossible to pluck the birds as soon 

 as they are dead, then they should be allowed 

 to become quite cold before the work is carried 

 out, for it is found that the flesh of a bird is 

 much more liable to tear when it is half ^old 

 than when either warm or entirely cold. The 

 best method of plucking is to have a seat about 

 20 inches in height, the operator sitting there- 

 on, holding the bird by the legs and the wings, 

 as already described for the process of killing, 

 the head hanging downwards in front of or 

 between the legs. By so doing it will at once 

 be seen that the blood, during the time the bird 

 is cooling, is draining away to the neck, whereas 

 it would not be so if the bird were head upwards. 

 The operator plucks the feathers the reverse 

 way to that in which they lie upon the body, 

 and the position named enables him to do so 

 with ease. He should start upon the back, 

 taking hold of several feathers between the 

 thumb and forefinger of, say, the right hand, 

 and, giving a sharp pull downwards, they come 

 out quite easily. Of course, the knack of pull- 

 ing the feathers only comes by experience ; 

 there is a way of drawing them as described, 

 sufficiently sharp to take them out clean without 

 tearing the skin. When the back has been 

 denuded the bird is turned round and the breast 

 treated in the same fashion. By this time all 

 convulsive movements will have quieted, and 

 thus it is not necessary to hold both legs and 

 wings, in fact it may be held by one leg. When 

 the breast and under parts have been completely 

 plucked, and the neck up to within two inches 

 of the head, each leg should be taken in turn, 

 held straight upwards by the shank, and if the 

 operator will close his finger and thumb around 

 the shank and run them sharply down the thigh 

 a large number of the feathers will come out, 

 the others being plucked in the usual way. 

 The wings may now be taken, the small feathers 

 drawn in the ordinary way, but the flight feathers 

 must be plucked either two or three at the same 

 time, gathering them between the fingers. These 

 require a sharp pull, given with a backward 

 tendency. Of course, the tail feathers must be 

 completely drawn also. The plucking of a fowl 

 takes a shorter time to accomplish than to 

 describe, and the regular rate in Sussex is about 

 twelve in the hour ; but I have known a turkey 

 completely and beautifully plucked in less than 

 four minutes, though, of course, this speed could 

 not be maintained for a long period. The chief 

 points in plucking are : First, that it shall be 

 done immediately the bird is killed ; second, 

 that the operator shall draw the feathers the 

 reverse way to that in which they lie, with a 



sharp pull, yet not sufficient to tear the skin ; 

 third, that the process shall be carried out as 

 expeditiously as possible. The reason why 

 feathers are left on near the head is simply to 

 cover up the broken part of the neck, and also 

 that the bird presents a rather better appear- 

 ance than if plucked completely up to the 

 throat. 



" In some districts it is customary to dip the 

 bird in boiling water before plucking, and there 

 is no doubt that this makes the feathers come 

 out much more easily, but it is objectionable for 

 other reasons, if the specimens are to be exposed 

 for sale. Scalding does no harm if 

 Scalding. it is intended to cook the birds at 



once ; but if this is not the case it 

 gives them a soft, flabby appearance, which 

 reduces considerably their value upon the market. 

 Moreover, there is no need for scalding, provided 

 that the birds are plucked whilst they are warm. 



"During certain periods of the year it is found 

 that there are a large number of what are called 

 stub feathers remaining on the body after the 

 fowls have been plucked, and these must be 

 removed. To do so, however, is a 

 Stubbing somewhat tedious process, because 



Singeing. '^ cannot be done by the fingers 



alone. In the poultry districts, as a 

 rule, women are specially employed for the work 

 of stubbing, and they are pretty well paid, 

 frequently receiving a penny per bird. The 

 best method is to have a short knife, pass it 

 under each feather, grip the feather upon the 

 knife with the thumb, and draw it out sharply ; 

 but fatters as far as possible try to avoid kill- 

 ing birds in this stage, although, of course, it is 

 impossible to do so entirely. All fowls, even 

 when in the best condition, are found to be 

 covered with a large number of fine hairs, and 

 the removal of these makes a very great differ- 

 ence to the appearance, in fact, frequently 

 explaining why some specimens look so much 

 cleaner and nicer than do others. To get rid of 

 these the bird should be singed. This is a 

 simple operation, yet one which requires a little 

 care. Some people use paper, but it is apt to 

 make too much smoke, and the best thing for 

 the purpose is straw. A small heap of straw 

 should be made and lighted. At first it will 

 burn with a thick smoke, but as soon as fairly 

 alight there will be a clear flame. The operator 

 then takes the bird by the head in one hand and 

 the feet in the other, and passes it through the 

 flame, turning it over in so doing, by which 

 means it is entirely denuded of the fine hairs 

 named. Unless care is taken, however, the pro- 

 cess would have the effect of blackening or 

 burning the skin, causing it to shrivel ; but that 



