Is it painful if a chicken's feather is plucked?

[Anonymous]

Can any of your country gals and girls answer this for me?

Does it hurt them if you pluck one of their feathers? Does it bleed? Or is only mildly painful like when we pluck hairs?

Once the feather is plucked does it grow back?

Yes I'm being serious. Don't judge me.

[Brando]

You don't pluck a chicken while it's alive. You have to first take the head off (by chopping, of course). Once that is done you need to suspend the chicken in order to drain the blood out of it. If you don't, then you would see packets of bloody meat at the grocery store. Next is where they soak the chicken in hot water to loosen the feathers for plucking. Again, this is not done while the chicken is alive so of course it doesn't hurt.

If the chicken were to be plucked alive, it would release toxins for it's nervous system to dull the pain and this could be poisonous to humans.

[Hckychef]

that is the weirdest question I've ever seen on here lmao

If the chicken is alive, then yes it will hurt the bird and it will bleed. Yes feathers do grow back over time. If a feather is broken and needs to be plucked, I would consult a veterinarian.

[Asker]

So it should be plucked if it's broken?

[Hckychef]

if its broken, consult your veterinarian and ask them what the best course of action is.

[vishna]

If the hair follicle wasn't damaged then it should grow back..many birds molt or get in spats and the feathers grow back.

I'm sure there is some pain..I'm guessing like plucking a human hair times two on a small contour feather :) but because some feathers are quite large...like an eagles remiges! If you pluck the primaries well..that would hurt because sometimes these feathers are connected to the bone!

[Asker]

:O

[vishna]

Lol why are you asking this? Is your chicken hurt? Don't hurt the hen :D

[vishna]

Thanks :)

[palek]

Chickens LOVE having their feathers plucked! In fact, according to a survey underwritten by the American Society of Chicken Pluckers, the only thing they like better is having their skinny heads chopped off. Chickens are funny!