[AT] Pluck chickens with a clothes dryer?

[Mark Greer]

Cornish Cross are a cross between a White Plymouth Rock hen and a Cornish Rooster. They are the standard chicken that you buy at the supermarket and can be butchered at 6-8 weeks of age. I have 24 day-old Cornish Cross chicks coming on Monday that the kids will be raising for 4H for our county Fair. Two pairs go to the fair and will be sold there and the other 20 go in my freezer mid September. The eat like pigs and grow extremely fast. Heritage breeds take 12-20 weeks to reach full size and still don't have as much meat on them as the Cornish Cross do.
Mark

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ben Wagner" <supera1948 at gmail.com>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 1:25:28 PM
Subject: Re: [AT] Pluck chickens with a clothes dryer?

Unfortunately, I've heard that many of the heritage breeds are seeing a huge
drop in numbers.  I'd like to get the Plymouth Rock breed, since they have a
great appearance with the speckled feathers.

I think the Cornish cross was a cross between the leghorns and Rhode Island
reds, but don't quote me there.

Have you ever heard of the "skinning" method of plucking?  Somewhere along
the way I remember hearing about it; maybe it wasn't for chickens.  I think
the way it works is to pull the entire skin with feathers off the bird.  I'd
think it's only good for immediate cooking, since the meat would dry out
quickly, and you'd also lose the fat which makes the flavor.

Ben Wagner