Killing Fowls 305 



that the finest quality of chickens and turkeys 

 commands higher prices when dry-picked. On the 

 other hand, lean or thin poultry does not present so 

 good an appearance as when scalded and "plumped," 

 as will be explained later, and therefore does not 

 sell so well. Ducks and geese are usually scalded, 

 with the exception of young, fat ducks, which are 

 known on the market as "green ducks." These 

 are usually dry-picked. 



Killing. Those who are required to perform 

 the operation of killing fowls should bear in mind 

 that it is desirable to remove all the blood from the 

 body that can be withdrawn, and to cause the fowl 

 to suffer as little pain as possible. In other words, 

 the operator should be as humane as circumstances 

 will allow. He may, at the same time, prepare his 

 birds in the best possible manner. 



All kinds of fowls are recommended to be killed 

 by cutting through the roof of the mouth. This 

 will cut through an artery, which will cause the blood 

 to flow freely. A sharp-pointed knife should be 

 used for this purpose, which should pierce the base of 

 the brain; it will cause death at once. It is said 

 by experts that a fowl may be killed so quickly 

 that the blood will not flow as freely as desired 

 and that the feathers will be removed with more 

 difficulty, especially if dry-picking is practiced. 

 The ideal condition is to have the knife enter the 

 brain and paralyze the fowl, and while in this 



