Apart from being our main writer, Nora also works for a number of gardening-related sites and magazines, sharing her experience as an owner of a small farm in North Carolina.
Bruce owns a small farm and loves to grill since his early childhood. He’s a professional cook, but hiking and enjoying the great outdoors is his no less favorite part of life.
Last updated: February 23, 2021
BackyardStyle is reader-supported. We may earn a commission through products purchased using links on this page. Learn more about our process here
Birds have several feathers that are hard to remove by hand. But thanks to the advancements in technology, tools like chicken pluckers make the process a breeze. These tools can defeather two to four chickens at once. They are convenient and affordable and you will only have to place the chicken in the drum with the rotating fingers and add some water to remove the feathers from your birds.
We spent more than three weeks searching for the best chicken pluckers on Amazon. Our team also interviewed chicken plucker experts and sellers to get more information on the products. The features we based our selection on include motor power, spinning force, drum diameter, chicken capacity, number of fingers, and irrigation ring, among other features. Machines with high power motor offer enough force to pluck feathers from chickens fast. You need to get a chicken plucker with a wide diameter if you keep or buy large-sized chickens. In this guide, you will get a table, in-depth reviews of the products, and a buying guide to walk you through selecting the model that fits your needs.
"A great corded-electric chicken plucker that features a 1.5 hp motor, 2 chicken capacity, 110 rubber fingers and de-feathers chicken in 15-30 seconds."
"An affordable chicken plucker kit that features 10 stainless steel scalpels, medium kill cone, ten rubber fingers and is recommended for chickens, ducks, and large turkeys weighing up to 10 pounds."
The Yardbird 21833 Chicken Plucker is an electric corded machine for defeathering birds like ducks, geese, hens, and waterfowl in 15-30 seconds. It comes with two sturdy rubber wheels that foster mobility in the chicken processing zones.
This tool has a maintenance-free gear that offers over 35-foot pounds of plucking torque. Its powerful 1.5 HP motor delivers up to 300 RPM. The seller insists the 20” inch diameter caters to several sizes of birds.
The Yardbird 21833 Chicken Plucker comes with 110 soft rubber fingers that remove feathers without damaging the skin of the birds. The rubbers are durable though their life is dependent on the rate of use and cleaning. Most users said they used this machine to pluck over 100 chickens.
Yardbird 21833 Chicken Plucker has two safety features. The safety switch detects if the drum is connected before defeathering. GFCI safeguards users against electrical shocks.
Several customers say Yardbird 21833 Chicken Plucker has a user-friendly debris collection. The system offers a hand-free feather collection. You will put a 5-gallon pail to trap the feathers falling under the feather chute.
Experts note that it is super-easy to clean. Its parts like food-grade, stainless steel, and the drum are removable. Use clean water to remove the dirt. You can wash the unit with a garden hose before storing it.
Some users complained their machines arrived dented. Others said it had several design flaws.
EZPLUCKER EZ-151 Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker is an efficient plucking machine that handles 1 to 3 chickens at once. Most customers say they use it to de-feather three chickens per cycle, and each cycle takes 20 seconds.
It’s not ideal for defeathering more than four chickens. The feathers will stick between the drum and the bottom, and you will use a lot of water per cycle. The legs of your chicken can break.
The seller says the 1HP motor is powerful, and its wattage is 110V. It offers 1700 RPM. This machine also comes with 129 soft, plucking fingers. The pillow block bearing is effective. It supports the rotating shaft.
Most users claim it handles 15 to 20 pounds. Other customers said they struggled with defeathering small-sized chicken and turkey.
Experts say that its parts like the shaft, plate and plate are made from sturdy stainless steel. The paint on the steel frame safeguards it against rust.
VEVOR Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker is a sturdy feather puckering tool with excellent features like a 20” tub diameter, built-in water pipe, and four sturdy wheels for moving to and for the processing regions.
VEVOR highly recommends it for chicken though you can use it on guinea fowl, turkey, and quail. However, it can’t pluck feathers from ducks and goose due to the Downey nature of their feathers. You will defeather 2 to 4 chickens per cycle.
The procedures are simple. Put your bird in the machine, add water, and wait for it to start plucking. Most users claimed they took 10 to 30 seconds to defeather their birds.
Its on/off waterproof switch reduces the risk of electric shocks since you use water is involved in the defeathering process. Replace the switch if it gets stuck.
Experts say this machine is easy to clean. It is connected to a hose and water pipe. You can rinse it immediately after use to remove the stuck feathers.
Its feather discharge unit is large to foster fast and easy plucking and cleaning.
Overall, VEVOR Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker is best for home use, farming, and abattoir businesses. Some users complained that this home chicken plucker has small caster wheels.
With a heavy-duty nature and sturdy design, the KITCHENER Chicken Plucker handles up to 4 birds per cycle and 15 to 30 to pluck one chicken. Customers say 3 to 4 chickens take roughly 2 minutes depending on their sizes.
The 1.8 HP motor is rated 800 Watts. It delivers 280 RPM. Experts note that this machine comes with plenty of features. It has two wheels that foster easy storage and mobility in the cooking areas.
The three legs offer extra support. Experts say the 92 soft finger brushes are strategically positioned to eradicate dirt and grime from the bodies of the chicken.
Kitchener recommends using this machine on other birds like turkey, Guinea Fowl, Quail, turkey, ducks, and geese. It’s best for food processing units and commercial outdoor grades.
Several customers insist that you can assemble and disassemble it in 5 minutes. The best part is, some parts like the IP54 and the electrical housing are waterproof and weather-resistant, respectively.
Kitchener insists on connecting the sensor switch correctly before use. You can read the manual or watch YouTube videos to master it. They also say you can use any 5-gallon drum to tap the feathers. Flush the plucked feathers using the hose connector. Some users were frustrated that it rips birds apart.
What we liked:
Three legs
Easy assembly
Waterproof and water-resistant parts
Well-positioned chicken fingers
Best for food processing units and commercial outdoor grades
L10 Rite Farm Drill Chicken Plucker Kit comes with a stainless steel scalpel and medium kill cone. Some customers say its sharp scalpel kills chickens within minutes. The cones of this drill chicken plucker foster easy killing and clean up after use. Some users state that the medium cone is meant for small birds, so target a large model if you have large birds.
The seller says the blades are sterile. They recommend it for chickens, ducks, and large turkeys weighing up to 10 pounds.
L10 Rite Farm Drill Chicken Plucker Kit has ten large plucker fingers, which are the least compared to the products we reviewed. Experts say the latex rubber is blended to lengthen its life. It increases the rates of plucking per minute. Rite Farm products say the rubber is non-chocky, and they rarely fall apart, crack or dry fast due to intense use.
Its dimensions are 12.5 inches long and 10.25 inches wide. Experts say that this machine is made from equipment that makes accurate measurements.
Some customers mention that you don’t need a high powered drill to use L10 Rite Farm Drill Chicken Plucker Kit. Others say it offers exceptional results for small scale processing.
What we liked:
Sharp scalpel
Sterile blades
Blended latex rubber
Non-choky rubber
Offer exceptional results for small scale processing
What could be better:
Not found
Things to Consider
Defeathering chicken is daunting and tedious when you do it with your hands. This is where tools like chicken pluckers come in. Chicken pluckers save time. They pluck feathers from birds fast, whether you’re using it at home or work. Chicken pluckers come in different models with varying designs and sizes. There are models that handle several sizes of birds. In this guide, we will look at the definition of a chicken plucker, features to consider when choosing a model, and the frequently asked questions.
What is a chicken plucker?
If you raise chicken for sale or for home consumption, in addition to chicken coops and chicken feeders you’ll surely need a chicken plucker. Chicken pluckers are time-saving tools meant for removing feathers from poultry like chicken, goose, ducks, and turkeys. Most of the models have sturdy steel construction and they defeather these birds in 10 to 30 seconds.
Chicken pluckers are easy to use. Turn on your machine and put your chicken in the rotating drum. Pour hot water while the chicken rotates. The rubber fingers will pluck its feathers. You should put a 5-gallon drum below the machine to trap the feathers.
Features to consider when choosing a chicken plucker
Whether you’re rearing chickens for sale or home consumption, choosing the right chicken plucker has timeless benefits. Durable models pluck feathers birds for ages.
So, create time and consider key features first before making any purchases. In this section, we will look at some features you can consider like the construction materials, size, portability, motor power, and spinning force, among others.
Construction materials
The materials that are used in making chicken pluckers determine their durability. Manufacturers like VEVOR and KITCHENER make the best stainless steel chicken pluckers. A kit like L10 Rite Farm has a stainless steel scalpel.
Size
The design of your chicken plucker affects storage and the sizes of chicken you can de-feather.
Chicken pluckers like EZPLUCKER EZ-151, VEVOR, and KITCHENER have a drum diameter ranging from 20 to 23 inches. They can defeather at most four birds per cycle.
You can purchase a compact chicken plucker like Yardbird 21833 that handles two chickens per cycle. Pluckers like these are easy to store and transport.
Other spacious models like EZPLUCKER EZ-151 can defeather birds weighing 15 to 20 pounds. Some users say it struggles with plucking feathers from small-sized birds.
Is it portable?
Most chicken pluckers have wheels or steady stands that make them stable during use. You can get a model with wheels like Yardbird 21833, VEVOR or KITCHENER Chicken Plucker to foster mobility around your processing regions.
The VEVOR Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker has handles. You can push, pull, and store it after use. The best part is, the majority of the models with wheels are lightweight. Experts recommend them for households.
Motor power
The motor provides the force that rotates the drums inside these machines to pluck the feathers. Chicken pluckers with high motor power defeather chickens in less than 10 to 20 seconds. The only shortcoming is they consume high amounts of electricity.
The spinning force is correlated with motor power. Machine with high horsepower offers a high spinning force. Our machines have a spinning force ranging from 275 to 1700 RPM.
The models with high RPM like EZPLUCKER EZ-151 defeather chickens fast, though they can damage their skins if you exceed four chickens.
Every customer should select the right chicken plucker that fits the number of chickens they want to defeather. It’s worth picking a model that defeathers up to 4 chickens like EZPLUCKER EZ-151, VEVOR and KITCHENER chicken plucker if you rear chickens for sale. A machine like Yardbird 21833 Chicken Plucker suits home use since it handles up to 2 chickens.
The fingers
The rubber fingers play the biggest role in these machines. They pull the feathers from the chicken while the drum rotates. The quality of the final product will be low if rubbers are missing, so ensure they are in top shape. You can purchase new rubbers from Amazon after plucking more than 100 chickens.
Experts say that the higher the number of rubber fingers in your machine, the higher the amount of feather you will remove fast. Our machines have fingers ranging from 92 to 129. The L10 Rite Farm Drill Chicken Plucker Kit has ten fingers which are the least so far.
Water inlet
Most chicken pluckers have water inlets to foster easy cleaning. The water channels the feathers that have been plucked to the 5-gallon drum for collection.
The wattage represents the amount of electricity your machine consumes. Machines with high wattage consume huge amounts of electricity.
You can get a low wattage chicken plucking tool for home use. The high wattage models suit industrial use, but you can use it at home if it fits your needs.
No, the birds won’t bounce. They will be rotating while the rubber fingers pluck the feathers.
Our Verdict
The market is flooded with various models of chicken pluckers, but getting the right pick is still super-easy. You should target a sturdy model with a high number of fingers if you keep chickens for commercial purposes. Experts recommend compact chicken pluckers to small-sized families that love cooking chickens occasionally. Our guide has everything you need to look into to make the right selection.
Our first pick is the Yardbird 21833 Chicken Plucker that we rated 9.9. It has a solid design that handles different sizes of chickens. This machine also comes with two safety features that safeguard users against hazards.
Our third pick is VEVOR Stainless Steel Chicken Plucker. It defeathers chickens in 10 to 30 seconds. We recommend it for farming, home, and abattoir use.
