depends on whot you are plucking and how you are plucking wet or dry,if wet i plunge the bird into cold water after ive dunked them in hot this stops the bird from scalding in the steam, if you take your time and dont try to pull out great handfulls at a time just try to pluck out a few it shouldnt tear so much, if your machine plucking i find it much easyer to pluck the birds the day after they have been shot or slaughterd