88 



POULTBY FATTENING. 



ing as long as iis oinerwise woiild, also giving an 

 unfavourable flavour to the flesh when plucked r Too 

 often is this precaution neglected, and v^^e desire to 

 impress its importance upon aU poultry keepers. 



SHAPING. 



There can be no question as to the desirability of 

 shaping fowls in order to give them the best appear- 

 ance, and the retm'ns obtained by properly shaped 

 birds are greater than when they are sent to market 

 in a rough, unprepared condition. This process partly 



explains why Surrey fowls 



r 



Pig. 13. — Shaping Trough. 



look so much superior to 

 others. The system, more- 

 over, is so simple that it 

 can be adopted at a very 

 small expense, shaping- 

 boards being easily made 

 by almost any person. 

 We give here an illustra- 

 tion of a shaping-trough 

 (Fig. 13) recommended by 

 Mr. C. E. Brooke, Past- 

 Master of the Poulters' Company of London, built in 

 three rows, and capable of holding 30 to 36 birds at 

 one time. For smaller producers it can be made with 

 one row, and the cost of material for construction of 

 the larger size would not be more than four shillings. 

 Each trough is made V-shaped, the front of which is 

 rather narrower than the back. One of the best sizes 

 is to have the back board 6 inches wide and the front 

 5 inches. 



