MARKETING LIVE POULTRY 443 



profit to the egg producer, and yet makes eggs cheaper for con- 

 sumers in winter. 



Commercial cold storage consists in keeping eggs in scru- 

 pulously clean rooms at a temperature of from 29 to 32 F., from 

 March or April until the following January or February, or even 

 later if the winter is severe and the spring supply comes in slowly. 

 During these latter months fresh prime eggs usually sell for thirty 

 to fifty cents, while fancy Western storage eggs bring from twenty- 

 five to thirty-five. The storage egg never equals the fresh egg in 

 quality, yet it is just as good for cooking purposes, and its lower 

 price at this time enables the housewife to secure an abundance of 

 good eggs at reasonable cost. 



MARKETING LIVE POULTRY. 



In shipping live birds to market under a guarantee, they must 

 be just as carefully selected and graded as any other poultry 

 product. They should be up to the designated weight, and as 

 uniform as it is possible to have them. The small producer ship- 

 ping small quantities will usually find it impracticable to guar- 

 antee such a shipment, but will dispose of the entire lot at the 

 current price for mixed goods. 



The great mass of live poultry which reaches the Eastern 

 markets is shipped from the Central-Western States in carload 

 lots. These cars are built for the purpose, being made with four 

 or five floors or tiers. 



When shipping short distances to local markets, specially 

 constructed but strong and durable shipping cases are used. If 

 breeding birds are shipped, care must be exercised to protect them 

 from injury and from colds due to drafts. 



Live birds for food are usually shipped by freight, and, if a 

 considerable distance is to be covered, provision must be made 

 for feeding and watering them. Fowls are usually sold alive, 

 direct from the farm, while such meat birds as broilers and capons 

 are usually dressed, owing to the higher price they bring if so 

 prepared. 



Baby chicks should be shipped as soon as they are taken 

 from the incubator, that is, as soon as they are perfectly dry 

 and on their feet. They should be put in strong light-weight 

 boxes and securely fastened. The box should have holes for ven- 

 tilation (Fig. 201), and be divided into compartments, with not 

 more than twenty-five chicks in each compartment; this prevents 



