134 THE HOME! POULTRY; BOOK 
as it keeps better than when the intestines are re- 
moved. , 
If the amateur prefers to scald his chickens before 
picking them, the carcass should be immersed in 
water just below the boiling point, and the water 
allowed to penetrate the feathers to the skin. As 
soon as the feathers have been removed, the bird 
should be thrown into very hot or even boiling water 
and quickly withdrawn and plunged into ice water, 
where it may be left several hours. This practice 
will give the carcass a plump and attractive appear- 
ance. Ducks must be left in the hot water con- 
siderable longer than chickens in order to have the 
water penetrate the feathers, but ducks may be 
picked dry as readily as other poultry. A good plan 
is to pick the longer feathers of ducks dry and to 
then scald off the others. 
Nest eggs are of value in teaching the pullets to 
lay in the nests and to prevent several hens piling 
into one nest. A nest egg is easily made by pierc- 
ing the end of an ordinary egg and blowing the 
contents out, afterward filling the egg with plaster 
paris, warmed so that it can be used readily. When 
the plaster hardens, a strong, durable nest egg is the 
result. 
