Dry-picking and Scalding 307 



When fowls are picked dry, to be shipped in 

 cold weather, they should be hung in a cool place 

 until thoroughly cold before they are packed. 

 Poultry should not be packed until all of the ani- 

 mal heat has disappeared. A cool place is prefer- 

 able to one so cold that the flesh will freeze quickly. 

 If the skin is wet when the fowls are packed, they 

 are likely to present a more or less discolored appear- 

 ance when offered for sale. When dry-picked fowls 

 are to be packed in ice for hot-weather shipment, 

 they may be plunged into cold water for a short 

 time immediately after picking and then placed in a 

 tank of ice water and left for several hours. Some 

 extensive duck-raisers make a practice of leaving 

 the picked ducks in cold water over night. Either 

 ice water or cold spring water may be used for 

 this purpose. 



Young fowls, especially ducks, that have many 

 pin feathers are sometimes prepared by shaving 

 with a sharp knife after the feathers are removed. 

 This removes the projecting parts of the pin feathers 

 and will help to place the fowl in the best possible 

 condition for market. Of course white birds are 

 much preferred on this account to colored ones. 

 The English use a short, thin-bladed knife in re- 

 moving the pin feathers. This operation is called 

 "stubbing," and is generally performed by women 

 and children. 

 , Scalding. When birds are scalded they should 



