The goose feather has long been an excellent filler for pillows and blankets, as well as a material for creating various decorative elements. Products from it are light, warm, resistant to moisture. Therefore, the proper collection of feathers is one of the most important tasks of the farmer.

Pluck preparation

The result of plucking a goose depends on proper preparation. Therefore, proceeding to the procedure, observe the following rules:

1. About half the day before the slaughter, the bird must be kept in a clean, darkened room so that the plumage is clean.
2. If your farm is located near a pond, then the day before the slaughter, you can let geese swim.
3. The day before the preparations, the bird is soldered with a weak saline solution to cleanse the intestines.
4. Geese are not fed 12 hours before slaughter, and when about 4 hours remain, they stop and drink.
5. After slaughter, blood is allowed to completely drain from the carcass. This facilitates the work with the pen and gives the meat a “corrupt” look.

Goose plucking methods at home

The carcass is plucked according to a certain scheme:

1. First, large feathers are removed from the tail and wings.
2. Then the turn follows the small ones on the back, belly, shoulders and legs.
3. The remains of fluff singe.
4. Then the collected material is sorted by size in accordance with the purpose, for example, chest and neck feathers of a small size are suitable for filling pillows.

The plucking techniques are different, consider the most basic of them.

Did you know? In Tibet, the goose is a sacred bird, therefore, it is treated with special respect.

Manually

For the manual extraction of feathers, it is enough to have simple devices at hand and a little dexterity.

Dry way

This method is great for those who decide to pluck the bird immediately.

• The advantages of the dry method:
• speed of execution;
• no need for additional devices;
• There are no additional costs.

• Cons of the dry method:
• the need to do everything quickly, immediately after the slaughter;
• the impossibility of further use of feathers (fatty fibers remain on them).

The method itself is as follows:

1. For the convenience of manipulating the carcass, wings and paws are tied to it, placed on a table.
2. First, large feathers are removed, then fluff.
3. Pinching is done by the growth of plumage.
4. Pinch the tail last.
5. The final stage is singeing and gutting.

Video: how to pinch a goose in a dry way

Cold way

• Pros of the cold method:
• a refrigerator is all additional equipment;
• fast execution;
• the peel remains intact.

• Cons of the cold method:
• carcass preparation is needed (the goose is kept in the cold for at least 3 hours);
• electricity costs;
• the pen is still unsuitable for future use.

Technique of execution:

1. The carcass cools for about 4 hours. The time period is adjusted in accordance with the capacity of the refrigerator, the main thing is that the bird is cold.
2. Then pluck the pen in the direction of growth.
3. The plucked bird is scorched and gutted.

Did you know? With good care, geese live a very long time - up to 25 years!

Scalding technique

• Advantages of scalding techniques:
• feathers are easily taken out;
• a basin and kettle, necessary for this method, are available to everyone;
• this method is the fastest.

• Cons of scalding techniques:
• there is a consumption of water and electricity;
• it is inconvenient to pluck a hot carcass;
• the pen gets wet and can no longer be used.

Important! Using the scalding method, water cannot be boiled! This complicates the preparation and plucking of the bird.

1. Water is heated to 80 ° C.
2. The legs and wings are tied to a bird.
3. The carcass is lowered for several seconds in hot water, making sure that all plumage is evenly scalded.
4. Having pulled the goose out of the water, it is immediately plucked until the effect of hot water has passed.
5. By pressing on the abdominal cavity, the tail is released and plucked.
6. The last stage is singeing and cutting.

Video: how to pinch a goose

Mechanically

This method has the glory of easy and affordable, as well as one in which the suitability of valuable material for future use is preserved. For its implementation, you need an iron with a steaming function, a small pump, a container, a piece of fabric and a cord.

• The advantages of the mechanical method:
• feathers do not turn into garbage, but remain a valuable product;
• This is the most affordable way at home;
• plucking forces are minimal.

• Cons of the mechanical method:
• the need for additional equipment;
• electricity costs;
• the duration of the procedure itself.

Consider this technique in stages:

1. The pump tube is carefully inserted under the skin on the bird’s neck.
2. The neck is pinched and gently pumping the carcass with air, until the wings begin to become a “stick”. It is important not to overdo it so that the skin does not burst.
3. The pump is cleaned by wrapping its neck to maintain air inside the bird.
4. In cool water, a piece of cloth is wetted and applied to the site of the intended plucking.
5. Next, the fabric is steamed with an iron (you can simply iron it, although steaming is more effective).
6. Then the prepared area is easily plucked from feathers and fluff.

Important! If there is no fabric at hand, but only gauze, it must be folded at least four times. Also, an iron without steaming is not suitable for gauze.

Another mechanical method is known. It will be useful to those who slaughter a large number of birds at the same time and you need to pinch everyone in the shortest possible time and easily. In this case, an electric drill with a special tip for plucking (sold in stores) will help. With proper skill, processing one carcass will take no more than 3-5 minutes.

Video: how to pinch a goose with an electric drill

Further carcass processing steps

After the plucking process, the goose carcass undergoes singeing. No special equipment is required for this; what is at hand is suitable: a gas stove, a burner or a soldering iron. Some enthusiasts can scorch over a fire, but this is a risky business, because the skin can become very smoky and wrinkled, losing its presentation.

Before starting work, it is advisable to wipe the goose's skin dry, since moisture affects the appearance of soot. An additional measure may be rubbing the skin with flour or bran to remove the smell of burning.

In the process of scorching, the skin is slightly stretched, gradually processing each area. This prevents wrinkles and wrinkles. Particular attention should be paid to the depressions under the wings and legs.

Did you know? The goose feather from the left wing is more suitable for beautiful writing than from the right, because it has a smoother curve.

The final stage of manipulation - cutting the carcass:

1. Make sure your skin is clean and free of lint. If lonely feathers come across, use tweezers.
2. Cut the wings along the elbow, remove the legs to the joint.
3. Cut the belly from cloaca to keel without damaging the intestines.
4. First of all, the gall bladder and intestines are removed. These organs are immediately thrown away, they are no good.
5. The liver, muscular stomach and heart are suitable for both food and sale. The remaining organs are most often used to prepare food for animals and birds.
6. Do not forget to remove the so-called "gagging" tube (lower larynx).
7. Rinse the carcass under running water.
8. Leave the chopped bird alone for several hours. After this time, it can be cooked or frozen.

Video: goose carcass cutting

How to collect feathers from a live goose?

The collection of feathers and down from live birds can be combined with the natural process of molting, which occurs in mid-summer - late June or early July, after the laying of eggs. New plumage grows in geese, and the old will be easy to remove in this way:

1. Tie the legs of the bird and place it on your lap.
2. Pinching begin with the chest, grabbing the feathers with the thumb and forefinger.
3. Do the procedure carefully and correctly, choosing exclusively old feathers.
4. Do not expose the skin completely and do not immediately pluck the whole body of the bird, because it will lose its natural protection and will experience pain.
5. Wings, neck, tail and other parts of a live bird cannot be plucked. Only the chest and back.
6. If blood comes out during the manipulation of the skin, stop immediately. The plucking process is painless, it should not cause discomfort to the bird.
7. Warmer regions of the country can afford to pluck a bird twice a year. Sometimes, if there is such a need, molting is caused artificially, but it is not recommended to get involved in it - the bird will feel bad.

Video: how to collect feathers from a live goose

How can feathers be used?

Most often, the goose feather is used in light industry. It is added as a heater to things, pillows and blankets are stuffed with them. Typically, these products use feather and fluff from the chest and back, the same ones that can be collected from live birds.

Important! It is impossible to wash or clean already collected feathers, this spoils their appearance and affects functionality.

There are also other ways to use this material, for example:

1. Ink pen. Such a thing can be used to create an interior, for styling, for costume parties and movies. The technology is simple: select the longest and most beautiful feather (for example, from the wing), cut a part of the beard and cook for 10 minutes in an alkaline solution. Then the pen must be dried, sharpened tip and put on a writing element.
2. Float. Simple, cheap and comfortable gear familiar to many. Effective when catching small fish, when a high sensitivity of the float is required. Carefully remove excess fluff from a long feather with a blade and fine sandpaper. Fasten the two nipple elastic bands at the bottom and paint the top with waterproof red paint.
3. Badminton shuttlecock. It flies better than plastic. For a home-made shuttlecock, five to six berries of cherries and about 12 feathers of medium length are needed. They are polished with sandpaper and then stuck in berries. The design is dried in the sun until the berries completely dry. Then they collect everything together and tie the berries in a small bag of fabric.
4. Down is very appreciated for its lightness and heat-insulating qualities, so it is good to use it as a filler in warm jackets and coats.

Pinching geese is not at all difficult, it is only important to decide what you need it for. If you don’t need a pen in the future, then a lot of simple and affordable methods are at your service. If you still plan to use it, then you have to "tinker" a bit. Despite the complexity of mechanical methods, the result is worth it.