We did it!!

[stanhol]

First cock in the fridge ready to be eaten in a couple of days!

OH says it wasnt so bad doing the deed but i have to say my plucking technique needs to improve!!! Any suggestions!!!!
How do you get all the little bits out, he is featherless but there are still quite a few bits of the feather shaft still in the skin?????????
Gutting not a problem and no where near as smelly as i thought.
So next week i will separate the rest of the boys that need to go. Maybe this will encourage my girls to produce rather than being intimidated.
We are leaving `big bird`as the kids call him with the girls, he is a big white brahma with a lovely tame nature, rounds up the girls and roosts with them, what a lovely cockeral.

Sandra

[Bephlam]

I read somewhere that you can singe the hair root off...actually I believe I read it in January's edition of PP.

[shirlthegirl43]

Well done!!

[stanhol]

We ate it!!!!!!!!!

Wow did he taste good! Will defiantely be doing the same with the excess males we have. He weighed in at nearly 4 lbs, amazing. Need to get my girls laying I cant believe I havent had ONE egg yet!!!!!!!!
Now i have a question after looking into this plucking business. Would an epilater work?Obviously not for the main plucking but for the difficult bits. I used to have one used it twice and decided that it was far too painful!!!!! Unfortunately binned it! I cant afford one of those all singing all dancing machine things. Such a shame really the skin of this one cooked beautifully and looked like it would taste wonderful but it had stubble in too many parts to eat around it!

Sandra

[shirlthegirl43]

I have found when I bought a free-range bird that there were still some 'stubs' (or whatever they are termed) left in patches. I usually just pull them out and wonder if they are just easier to remove after a day or two?

[frias]

My OH (chef for 40 years) says singeing over a flame is definately best. You can also get chefs tweezers which are bigger and stronger than ordinary tweezers.

[fitzilian]

i heard that if you put the chicken in hot water before plucking any feathers it opens the pores so you get less stubble and less tears...

anyone tried that? (our first attempt will be next week!)

[Nicos]

Glad he tasted so good- it must make it all worth while!

[steelsy]

we had a similar problem with the ones we have just killed for the table. I got my tweezers out - never thought to look on line for chef's tweezers - will go and have a butchers now!

[Nicos]

we had a similar problem with the ones we have just killed for the table. I got my tweezers out - never thought to look on line for chef's tweezers - will go and have a butchers now!

If you find some- can you let us know where to get one from please???

[MaureenHall]

There's chef's tweezers and pliers here that might do the job Fish Tools + Utensils > Kitchen Utensils. Chefs Cookware PLUS.