Factors of stunning vs. nonstunning, scalding time, and scalding temperature were studied to determine their individual effects on feather retention forces. Live birds were used as controls to determine feather retention forces as affected by flock, sex, and feather location. Forces were measured before stunning, after stunning for 20 and 120 s, and after scalding for 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 min at scalding temperatures of 52 C and 56 C. Stunning and scalding for longer times at higher temperatures lowered the feather-pulling forces required. The percentage of reduction ranged from 18% after stunning, relative to the force required for nonstunned birds, to 81% after a 2.5-min, 56-C scalding, relative to the force required after scalding for 1 min at a temperature of 52 C. Processing parameters prior to picking have a definite effect on the feather-removal forces in chickens.
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Dickens et al. (1988) studied this question.
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