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CHAPTER VII. 



POULTRY FOR THE TABLE. 



EVERY breeder of poultry, even for exhi- 

 bition, will have a considerable number of 

 birds whose best destination is the table. 

 The somewhat severe "weeding" upon which 

 we lay stress in a subsequent chapter gives him 

 plenty of such, and there is also a considerable 

 surplus of cockerels. This last occurs also when 

 pullets are bred merely for laying ; so that, even 

 though supply of eggs for market be the main 

 object, the cockerels produced at the same time 

 involve the marketing of a considerable quantity 

 of table poultry, which must be embraced in the 

 plan of operations. In the latter case, the num- 

 ber will probably be too large to be consumed 

 at home, and must be made the best of for 

 market. Lastly, there is the case where supply 

 of table poultry of the best quality is the main 

 object in view, and where both breeding, the 

 feeding, and fattening are brought to bear upon 

 that object with all the skill and knowledge 

 available. 



It may be well to consider first the case of the 

 breeder of prize poultry, who merely wants to 

 dispose of such surplus stock as is not up to the 

 mark. If he is in a small way, the home table 

 may very likely take all he has to spare at 

 merely killing prices, and these may be of all 

 ages. For reasons e.xplained later on, such a 

 breeder may hatch double or treble what he has 

 space to rear, and kill a good portion very 

 young indeed, at only a few weeks old, as soon 

 as ever their worthlessness becomes apparent ; 

 or even the cockerels of a laying stock may be 

 better cleared out, if possible (all but a few of 

 the best), at a similarly tender age. Even such 

 very young birds can be utilised in chicken 

 puddings, made as follows : Take as many as 

 necessary and let them miss their 

 Chicken last feed, and fast the night ; de- 



Puddings, capitate them in the morning, 

 pick clean, and hang in a cool 

 larder for twenty-four to thirty-six hours. 

 Having taken out the crop and viscera, put the 

 necks, and cleaned gizzards, and livers, and hearts 

 in a little water to stew foi gravy ; then cut up 

 the birds, taking the point of a knife from the 

 .point of the breastbone to the wing on each 



side, removing thus the half breast with each 

 wing and leaving the carcase bare. Cut the 

 breast-pieces apart from the wings, also take the 

 thighs and drumsticks (separated) and the side- 

 bones, if there is any appreciable meat on them ; 

 chop up the rest of the carcases and stew them 

 also for gravy. Make a nice suet crust and line 

 a basin, and in this pack carefully the pieces 

 of chicken, with the addition of three or four 

 slices of salt pork or ham, also cut in pieces, to 

 which may be added at discretion, or not, a 

 sheep's kidney or two cut up, or a few mush- 

 rooms and oysters. Pour in the gravy, close 

 and tie up the pudding, and boil long and gently. 

 People who once try this will often be asking 

 themselves, whether their very young wasters 

 are big enough yet for a chicken pudding. 



When the number is more considerable, as 

 with cockerels from a stock bred for layers 

 only, if there be any market, such young birds 

 can be treated and sold as the petits poiissins 

 described a little farther on, especially as layers 

 like Leghorns often do better at this very tender 

 age than larger and finer breeds. But the pud- 

 ding is always available, and we can heartily 

 recommend it to all whom it may concern. 



The next available age is from eight to twelve 

 weeks, at which it is not usual to kill in England, 

 though more are killed in America 

 Broilers. at this stage than any othe>-. Such 



are, in fact, the well-known American 

 " broilers," simply split down the centre of the 

 carcase and the halves broiled on a gridiron : 

 in a frying-pan they are not so good. The 

 " broiler " will be found a novel and most appe- 

 tising dish for the home table, whether or not it 

 may ever attain popularity in the British mar- 

 ket, and will clear out quite a number of birds 

 at a nice early age, leaving the ground free. 

 Moreover, it may be well to remember that such 

 home use of the young birds, through the tasting 

 thereof by friends and visitors, may do some- 

 thing to gradually create a inarket for a class of 

 chickens which in some respects is — as proved 

 in America — most profitable of all, given only 

 the demand for it. 



By three or four months old, chickens of the 



