THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



of 

 Feathers 



can be avoided by rapid movements, as proved 

 by the Surrey fowls which come upon our great 

 markets. 



"Before leaving this part of the question 

 a few words may be said with regard to the 

 feathers. I have made inquiries of several 

 feather merchants and find that they do not 

 in any way depend upon our English supplies, 

 in fact they prefer to purchase foreign 

 Disposal feathers, because they can obtain 



them more regularly and prepared 

 in a proper manner. It is true, of 

 course, that fatters sell the feathers, but where 

 they go to is a little difficult to say, and in fact 

 we do not appear to have any firms in this 

 country who treat feathers in the same way as 

 is the case in Russia and Germany. The com- 

 plaints which are made by merchants with 

 regard to our home feathers are that the pro- 

 ducers do not separate the different sizes. If 

 they would do this, grading them according to 

 size and texture, it would be to their advantage. 

 What is meant is that the fine feathers on the 

 under parts of the body should be kept distinct 

 from the coarser feathers on the back, and 

 certainly from the wing feathers. I suppose that 

 what is really wanted is someone to commence 

 a feather factory in the districts where the largest 

 quantities are produced, and to show that more 

 care would mean better returns. Even when 

 properly separated, there is a considerable 

 difference in the value. The best qualities of 

 feathers can be sold at 3 id. to 4d. per lb., but 

 the preference is given to white. The wing and 

 tail feathers are difficult to dispose of, and the 

 price obtainable for them is very low. If 

 stripped and the quills entirely removed, they 

 may be mixed with those from the body in 

 small quantities. All classes of feathers should 

 be kept free from dust and dirt, be packed in 

 clean sacks, and sent to the merchants whilst 

 fresh. 



" The next step after plucking is the shaping 

 of the fowls, and here there are various systems 

 in vogue. That adopted in this country is 

 simple and very effective. For this purpose 

 a shaping board or trough is made, in size 

 according to the requirements of 

 Shaping. the fatter. The shape of this 



trough varies considerably, but they 

 all appear to have the same effect. Some of the 

 fatters prefer shaping-boards in which the 

 troughs are made V-shaped, as shown in the 

 illustration, whilst in others the back board is 

 perfectly vertical and the front board is at an 

 angle of about forty-five degrees. So far as I 

 have been able to see, neither form has any 

 distinct advantage over the other, both serving 



the purpose equally well. These troughs are 

 made from 2 feet to 3 feet in length, and often 

 arranged in two or three tiers. Usually the 

 back board is narrower than the front, 5 inches 

 for the former and 6 inches for the latter being 

 a regular size. They are very cheaply made 

 and serve a life-time. When the birds have 

 been plucked and singed they are first loosely 

 tied at the hocks, so as to allow sufficient play 

 at the posterior end of the sternum for the 

 legs to lie at either side of the breast, the legs 

 and feet are now bent downwards at each side 

 of the breast, and the wings folded so as to 

 lie flat against the breast in front. The bird 

 is now held in the two hands, and it is custom- 

 ary to press the stern against a flat board 

 or wall, to force in 

 the breast by press- 

 ing it hard against 

 the operator's thigh, 

 and if it is a round- 

 backed bird, to press 

 in the backbone by 

 the two thumbs, then 

 to lay the bird in the 

 shaping board, breast 

 downwards, the head 

 hanging over the 

 front. The stern will 

 rest against the back 

 board, and the keel 

 lie on the front 

 board, so that any 

 pressure from above 

 will be upon the 



keel and not upon the legs or feet, as these 

 are really out of the way. Each trough should 

 be filled tightly with birds, and it is better 

 if they are as near as possible of the same 

 size. As the trough is filled, a board, about 

 4 inches in width, is laid along the backs, 

 fitting easily between the upright ends. This 

 is heavily weighted, sometimes two 56 lbs. 

 weights being used to about a dozen fowls. The 

 birds are allowed to remain in the shaping board 

 for six or eight hours as the case may be, and if 

 placed therein whilst warm, it is remarkable 

 what a difference the pressure makes to their 

 appearance when taken out, as they then show 

 that square shape which is characteristic of fowls 

 prepared in the Sussex fashion. Of course, a 

 fat fowl will always come out better than a lean 

 one, and in fact the system is not of much use 

 except the birds have been properly fatted. 

 But when so dealt with it is found that the flesh 

 is forced upwards on to the breast, that the body 

 is contracted, and any air or gas inside expelled, 

 whilst in appearance there is a very distinct 



Fig. 65. — Shaping Trough. 



