Plucking chickens is a time-consuming and unpleasant job if you have a chicken farm or have quite a few birds that you need to pluck, removing feathers by hand is impractical and uncomfortable, to say the least!
So, to avoid aching hands, save time, and prevent the mess of feathers, the best option is to use a chicken plucker. These machines are designed to clean multiple chickens simultaneously making the whole plucking process faster, easier, and much cleaner.
- User friendly
- Powerful motor
- Maintenance free
- Easy to use
- Won’t tear skin
- Efficient operation
- Waterproof
- Quality design
- Fast operation
- Large capacity
- Easy to operate
- Heavy duty design
- Heavy duty
- Powerful operation
- Plucks multiple fowl
In our ultimate guide, we look at the top-rated pluckers by comparing product features such as size, power, and types so that you can choose the right machine for your bird plucking needs.
Whether you’re rearing chickens for home consumption or commercial purposes, selecting the best chicken plucker has endless benefits.
Top 5 Best Chicken Pluckers Summary
Top Pick
Yardbird 21833 Plucker
This corded electric chicken plucker can clean the feathers of up to two medium to large fowl in 15 to 30 seconds. It is one of the most efficient chicken plucking machines available.
Yardbird 21833 Plucker
The best chicken plucker machine is the Yardbird plucker. This apparatus has 110 rubber fingers designed to defeather chickens without tearing the flesh.
It also has two safety features including an Overcurrent Protector GFCI switch to prevent electrical shock and a safety switch to ensure the metal drum is properly connected before cleaning the chicken.
Best on a Budget
Chicken Plucker Medium Killing Cone
Developed for the novice plucker, its simple cone design with six soft latex fingers makes it easy to pluck and butcher medium-sized birds.
Chicken Plucker Medium Killing Cone
The best drill-powered plucker is the Swedish Plucker and Kill Cone. The rubber finger attachment is suitable for plucking and processing one bird at a time without damaging the flesh.
It can safely pluck chickens in under 90 seconds and comes with a sharp knife for slaughtering.
Specs
- Steel gauge
- 18 x 9 x 9 inches
- Power drill operation
Pros
- Cost-effective
- Good for medium birds
- Butchering and plucking device
Cons
- Small size
- Handheld plucker
- Process one bird at a time
Editor’s Choice
Kitchener Plucker
The 92 rubber fingers and large tub remove feathers and dirt on the bird’s body in one go. It can clean up to four chickens in less than 2 minutes.
Kitchener Plucker
The best drill-powered chicken plucker is the Swedish Plucker and Kill Cone. The rubber finger attachment is suitable for plucking and processing one bird at a time without damaging the flesh.
It can safely pluck chickens in under 90 seconds and comes with a sharp knife for slaughtering.
Best Value
VEVOR Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker 1500W
Brushed steel manufacture makes this machine easy to clean and provides an extra layer of protection against the formation of rust.
VEVOR Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker 1500W
Offering the best value for money is the VEVOR Plucker. It has a robust design with a 20-inch diameter drum that can accommodate three to four chickens with ease.
It comes with 2 handles and 4 wheels making it easier to move around and store. The machine also comes with a safety switch to prevent electric shock.
Best Quality
VEVOR Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker 2200W
For robust and powerful operation, the 240 rpm motor makes light work of plucking 6 medium to large size chickens or 12 small birds such as quails.
VEVOR Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker 2200W
For a long lasting and sturdy chicken plucker, the VEVOR 2200 watt is made from a durable stainless steel. It has a large 23.5 inch drum designed to house and pluck more than 4-5 birds at a time or fowl as large as a turkey.
To prevent the switches from getting damaged, the model includes waterproof casing.
Top 5 Best Chicken Pluckers Full Reviews
Top Pick
Yardbird 21833 Chicken Plucker
The Yardbird Chicken Plucker is known for its precision when removing feathers from the body of a bird. It is also easy to operate and clean which has earned it the top pick.
Yardbird 21833 Chicken Plucker
Features
The machine has 110 rubber fingers that are designed to pluck each feather from the bird without tearing the skin or breaking the carcass.
Yardbird is powered by a 1.5 HP motor that produces 300 RPMs which means that it provides enough power to pluck a single bird in less than 30 seconds.
Irrigation
Another beneficial feature is the integrated irrigation ring that washes the plucked feathers off the bird so you don’t have to clean the carcass by hand.
To use this feature, all you have to do is to attach a garden hose to the plucker. The handy bucket that is located just underneath the feather discharge chute will collect the remaining down and quills.
Usage on Bigger Birds
If you are thinking about plucking feathers of turkeys, ducks, guinea fowl and other birds, chicken plucker reviews suggest that the spacious 20-inch drum is large enough to house the carcasses.
Owing to the stainless steel construction, you won’t have to worry about easily damaging the machine or the formation of rust.
Specs
- 1500 W power
- Steel construction
- 22 x 22 x 34.5 inches
Pros
- Durable construction
- Sturdy rubber wheels for mobility
- Suitable for plucking large birds including turkeys
Cons
- The drum is hard to remove
- The on/off switch is hard to reach
- Small handles and wheels make it awkward to move
Best on a Budget
Chicken Plucker Medium Killing Cone
The funnel design with drill attachment makes the product easy to operate when you need to butcher and pluck feathers of a standard-sized chicken. It must be attached to an electric or battery-powered drill for the latex fingers to remove the feathers.
Chicken Plucker Medium Killing Cone
For a simple and affordable plucker to use at home, the efficient processing cone eliminates the mess of plucking by hand. The apparatus comes with a cone to restrain chickens and a sharp blade for quick and clean slaughtering.
The drill operation makes this product easy to use and it comes with 6 rubber fingers. Once the fingers are connected to any corded or cordless ⅜ inch drill or drill press, it makes quick work of plucking standard-sized birds such as Cornish hens.
Operation
It is best to use this chicken plucking machine at a medium drill speed to prevent damaging the bird or over bruising the meat. It takes 90 seconds to pluck a chicken and once the feathers are removed, the funnel and fingers are easily cleaned by rinsing it with water.
The cone or funnel consists of 26 gauge steel making it durable against damage and the development of rust over time.
The cone itself is manufactured in the USA while the accompanying blade is imported from Sweden.
Budget Friendly
If you are looking for an easy way to pluck feathers of a small fowl without spending too much on a chicken plucker kit, then the funnel and finger attachment design of the Medium Killing Cone could be suited to your needs.
Specs
- Steel gauge
- 18 x 9 x 9 inches
- Power drill operation
Pros
- Cost-effective
- Good for medium birds
- Butchering and plucking device
Cons
- Small size
- Handheld plucker
- Process one bird at a time
Editor’s Choice
Kitchener Plucker
A versatile and powerful machine that makes plucking fowl efficient. It comes with safety features to prevent electrical shock and a spacious tub for processing large birds such as geese and turkeys.
Kitchener Plucker
The large commercial grade poultry feather plucker is the best choice for those who want to process more than two fowl at a time with efficiency and precision.
Capacity
This high-powered machine will work with four standard-sized birds including turkeys but only one to two turkeys can be processed at a time. It takes around 15-30 seconds to de-feather two birds and under two minutes to pluck four birds simultaneously.
If you are looking for quality in a plucking machine, the Kitchener range is made from durable brushed stainless steel making it less susceptible to rust and damage.
Power
The unit comes with 1.2 Hp and 280 RPMs of spinning force making it a powerful and efficient chicken plucker when you need to pluck multiple birds at one time. It also provides generally quiet operation which is ideal for residential use because you won’t be disturbing the neighbors while plucking fowl.
The machine comes with a tub diameter of 20 inches making it ideal for all types of medium to large fowl. It is also best used with older birds as soft down feathers could become stuck inside the drum.
An Overcurrent Protector GFCI Connector Switch will improve safety during operation by preventing electrical shock.
Specs
- 800W
- Brushed steel
- 22 x 23 x 22 inches
Pros
- Durable design
- Plucks multiple birds at once
- Suitable for large fowl such as geese
Cons
- Is expensive
- Hard to use at first
- Small birds get stuck in the drum
Best Value
VEVOR Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker 1500W
As the most valuable plucker, it provides the benefits of a spacious drum, waterproof switches, and decent manufacture. It is compatible with small to medium game fowl and poultry.
VEVOR Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker 1500W
For a plucker that is durable yet fairly priced, the VEVOR 1500W machine offers the best value. It provides a powerful solution for de-feathering fowl from chickens to ducks and even turkeys or geese.
Capacity
The tub of this machine measures 20 inches in diameter providing enough space to pluck two to four chickens at a time. Depending on the size of the bird and the density of feathers, it could take up to 30 seconds to clean the feathers off the body.
Irrigation Ring
What we like about the Vevor range is that it includes an irrigation ring so you simply need to connect a standard garden hose connector to the drum to activate the water and start plucking feathers.
The combination of a strong motor, stainless steel construction, and a spacious tub make for minimal maintenance. All you have to do is remove the bucket that catches the feathers and thoroughly rinse it to get rid of excess.
To effectively process each bird, the 106 rubber fingers will carefully remove quills without tearing the flesh or breaking bones. VEVOR provides high performance operation with rubberized wheels for easy transport and storage.
Specs
- 1500W
- Stainless steel
- 22 x 22 x 34.5 inches
Pros
- Durable design
- Powerful motor
- Large size drum
Cons
- Cannot remove down
- Small wheels make it less stable
- Small handles make it hard to move
Best Quality
VEVOR Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker 2200W
To pluck fowl from bantam chickens to geese, ducks and other birds, the VEVOR 2200W delivers 275 rpm of force. This powerful machine is efficient at removing feathers from 3-4 birds at once.
VEVOR Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker 2200W
The VEVOR 2200W is considered the more powerful version of the VEVOR 1500W. It offers all of the same features but with more force, space, and is suitable for use in abattoirs and agricultural business.
Size
The drum has a diameter of 20 inches which is meant to accommodate two to four birds including turkeys. It is constructed from a 430 stainless steel gauge adding to the robustness of the machine.
Motor
What is impressive about the 2200W VEVOR is the powerful motor. It is designed to produce a force of 275 r/m which is the reason it is also considered a commercial chicken plucker.
Despite the speed and force of these machines, the design of the tub and the fingers prevent tearing the skin of fowl whether a bantam chicken or a large duck of over 2-3 lbs.
This range of chicken pluckers will process fowl with 106 latex fingers and does a good job of producing a clean pluck and intact carcass.
Capacity
For a reliable heavy duty chicken plucker that is designed to defeather more than two birds at once, the VEVOR 2200W provides a commercial standard of power and performance.
Specs
- 2200W
- Stainless steel
- 22 x 22 x 34.5 inches
Pros
- Efficient motor
- Spacious drum
- Fingers cover the drum interior
Cons
- Difficult to clean
- May not remove all down
- Large size difficult to move
Choosing the Best Chicken Plucker
When you’re ready to choose a chicken plucker machine, you’ll need to know which features are best for your needs.
A chicken plucker should be easy to use and most importantly provide efficient and hassle-free feather removal without damaging the chicken.
To help you find the right plucker, we look at the purpose of these machines and compare the different features of some of the best models on the market.
What is a Chicken Plucker?
Chicken pluckers are used for feather removal after butchering fowl. Whether you are defeathering poultry or game birds such as ducks or guinea fowl, pluckers make the job of removing each feather easier, faster, more comfortable, and less messy.
Plucking a chicken by hand is time-consuming and creates a lot of mess. By using special machines, the rubber or latex fingers catch and pull every feather from the carcass without breaking the bones or leaving feathers stuck to your hand and the ground.
NOTE
The average pluckers are designed to remove feathers in standard size fowl, such as a Cornish hen of 1-2 lbs, in 10-30 seconds.
This means less time spent plucking each bird and no more aching hands or major cleanups.
How Does a Chicken Plucker Work?
To start the process, you would place a bird inside the drum and turn the machine on to activate its rotating motion. Chicken pluckers work with water and rubber or latex fingers to clean the bird and then wash the feathers into a bucket that is attached to the base.
NOTE
The soft and flexible rubberized fingers catch and remove the feathers without ripping the flesh.
Build
Most types of large pluckers consist of a drum on a base with wheels but smaller equipment may include a funnel or cone that you can attach to a power drill for rotating purposes. Drill-operated products are less expensive than their tub or drum counterparts but are much smaller in size.
Process
It works by attaching latex fingers to the drill and then slowly rotating the finger attachment against the bird. While it is faster than removing each feather by hand, it is still a messy and tedious process because the feathers don’t land in a bucket or drum.
Things to Consider When Buying Chicken Pluckers
If you don’t know what to look for when shopping for a plucker, reading reviews about the different models is a good place to start. You should also consider details such as the size of the machine, the price, and the ease of operation.
We look at a few factors below to help you make a valuable and informed decision.
Size
The most popular models are available in the drum or tub styles and are best for processing more than one bird at a time. Look at the dimensions of the drum and whether it will be large enough to accommodate certain types of fowl.
The Yardbird range has a 20-inch drum ideal for Cornish hens while a commercial-grade Kitchener chicken plucker model is 23 inches for a turkey or goose.
Speed
Pluckers should be efficient but without damaging the flesh or breaking the carcass. If you need to process broilers or geese, then the ideal spinning force or speed of the drill should be between 200-300 rpm.
Quality
Stainless steel is the best construction for chicken pluckers as it provides durability and hygiene. It is the best quality material for a chicken plucker because it can withstand the force and weight of the bird inside the drum without denting and damaging.
Metal surfaces are also easier to clean than plastic making it the best choice of material for these machines.
Safety
Look for features such as weatherproofing and safety switches to prevent electric shock while operating the tub. Weatherproofing will protect the cables and switches against sun, moisture, and frost damage.
Power
The more powerful the motor, the faster the rotation of the drums to clean the bird. The higher the force or RPMs, the stronger the motor and the rotation which means that more than one fowl can be cleaned at once.
The VEVOR range includes a motor force of 275-300 RPM. But remember that the more powerful the plucker, the more electricity it will consume.
Portability
You want to be able to move the equipment to areas where de-feathering will occur. Look for models with wheels and handles that make maneuverability and storage much easier.
Price
The price of chicken pluckers is determined by the size, features, and strength of the motor. Consider value, durability, and size when you compare the costs of different units.
Fingers
The fingers are a big deal because it works to remove each feather from the body of the fowl. The ideal number of plucking fingers for cleaning multiple fowl is between 90 and 129. The more feather plucking fingers in the machine, the faster the rate of feather removal.
The fingers should also consist of soft rubber or latex which helps them bend and flex without breaking.
Warranty
The manufacturer should include a 2-3 year warranty on the machine. If anything should break or damage during this period, you’ll be covered by the guarantee in terms of repairs, refunds, or replacements.
FAQ
What to Do Before Plucking Chicken?
When you butcher a bird at home, you must first bring the bird to the necessary temperature to make defeathering easier, faster, and without all of the mess.
Fowl should not be plucked right after slaughter but allowed to reach room temperature and then scalded in hot water for a very short period.
If you leave them to soak in very hot water for too long, the flesh might tear during mechanical feather removal.
Water for scalding chickens before plucking should range from 130 to 170°F or 55 – 80°C. A bird of up to 4 months should be soaked for 30 to 70 seconds at 125 degrees Fahrenheit while older birds of 6 months can be soaked at 140 degrees Fahrenheit to soften the quills.
Do Pluckers Affect Chicken Skin?
It can tear the flesh if the chicken is not properly prepared before de-feathering. The body must be scalded in hot water after butchering to prevent damaging the flesh.
Dry plucking your bird is possible, but some stubborn feathers might be hard to remove without scalding, and you might end up tearing the bird’s skin off.
Conclusion
- User friendly
- Powerful motor
- Maintenance free
- Easy to use
- Won’t tear skin
- Efficient operation
- Waterproof
- Quality design
- Fast operation
- Large capacity
- Easy to operate
- Heavy duty design
- Heavy duty
- Powerful operation
- Plucks multiple fowl
Final Thoughts
I hope that you have enjoyed reading the ultimate guide to chicken pluckers and you have the information that you need to purchase a poultry plucker that is best for your processing requirements.
Be sure to look for features such as capacity, durability, and whether it is easy to use. I prefer food grade stainless steel products that can process a few birds in a matter of seconds. It just means less manual labor and the amount of time spent plucking chickens!
If you’re still unsure, here’s a recap of the top picks…
Top Pick
If you want the best chicken plucker, the Yardbird range is user-friendly and well-priced. It includes food grade components making it suitable for commercial use.
Best On a Budget
If you want a budget-friendly alternative to de-feather chickens, then the Swedish Medium Killing Cone is a fair choice as the best budget chicken plucker. It is a drill-operated defeatherer and ideal for cleaning one chicken at a time.
Editor’s Choice
Kitchener offers a durable and commercial grade chicken plucker to clean multiple fowl including huge birds such as turkeys.
Spread the Word
Thank you for reading our guide on the best chicken pluckers. If you want to help other chicken keepers to choose the right automatic chicken plucker for their needs, please feel free to share this review with them.
If you are interested in plucking chickens at home or for commercial purposes, take some time to consider the pros and cons of each product so you can determine which is the right chicken plucker kit for you. If you want more helpful reads on how to raise chickens, we have articles such as organic chicken feeds, chicken scratch, and chicken treats to help you give your flock the healthy diet they need.
