CHAPTER XIV. 



The End of the Two Hundred Egg Hen. 



The poultryman who keeps from 200 to 500 head of laying 

 stock will have a good deal of poultry to dispose of, especially 

 if he follows my advice in this book to keep pullets, prin- 

 cipally, for layers. It will be quite a problem to dispose of this 

 stock to the best advantage. In passing I would remark that 

 the poultryman should keep his own table well supplied. 

 Plump and juicy broilers and roasters are just as good for him 

 as they are for anyone else. There is no reason why the poul- 

 tryman's table should not rejoice once a week with broilers 

 and roasters. During the summer there is in most towns a 

 good market for poultry. The poultryman should steadily cull 

 from his flock, and about moulting time have a grand 

 "round up," selling the fowls for what they will bring except 

 those he wishes to keep over for breeders. Quite a number of 

 live cockerels may be disposed of among the farmers in the 

 fall if the poultryman keeps a popular breed and will sell for 

 a fair price. 



KILLING AND DRESSING FOWLS FOR MARKET. 



1. Take the bird from the roost at night, thirty-six hours 

 before it is to be killed, and shut it up in comfortable quarters. 

 The next morning give it a good breakfast, but nothing more 

 to eat after this until it is killed. Let it have all the water it 

 will drink. The water will add greatly to the fowl's comfort 

 and assist in evacuating the bowels. The confinement is for 

 the purpose of having the fowl at hand and of emptying the 

 crop. 



2. Suspend the fowl by the feet at a convenient height with 

 a soft cord, the upper end of which is secured to a hook or nail 

 in the ceiling or beam overhead. 



3. Lock the wings together behind the back, to prevent 

 flapping. Do this carefully, so that they will not be dislo- 

 cated. 



4. Take the tip of the wings in the left hand, and with the 

 right strike the fowl a smart blow on the head with a stick or 

 cudgel. Strike hard enough to produce concussion of the 

 brain and unconsciousness. 



