SUCCESSFUL POULTRY KEEPING 



dry picked and thoroughly bled. They should not be stunned 

 by pounding them on the back of the head as this causes the 

 blood to settle and injures the sale. Scalded poultry will not 

 bring more than half price in New England markets. 



PACKING FOR SHIPMENT IN HOT WEATHER 



Strong and sound barrels are best for ice packing poultry 

 for shipment during hot weather. These barrels should be 

 well washed before using and only clean ice should be used. 

 Place a good layer of broken ice on the bottom of the' barrel, 

 then a layer of poultry beginning in the middle and packing 

 in a circle with heads down, backs up and feet toward the center, 

 then alternate layers ' of ice and poultry. FiU the barrel to 

 within 6 inches of the top, taking care to have ice between the 

 poultry and the staves of the barrel. Fill the top of the barrel 

 with large pieces of ice and cover with clean burlap, and mark 

 with brush or stencil. If to be shipped a long distance put 

 in an extra large piece of ice on top. If properly packed the 

 poultry can be on the road fifty hours without injury. Always 

 ship by express in warm weather. 



COLD WEATHER SHIPMENTS 



During cold weather poultry can be shipped either by 

 freight or express. It should be entirely cold but not frozen 

 before it is packed. Boxes make the best packages and should 

 be lined with paper and packed so closely that the contents 

 cannot move. Never use straw for packing and never wrap 

 the dressed poultiy in paper. 



Mark the cover of the package distinctly with the kind 

 and quaUty of the contents, the gross weight and the correct 

 tare in plain figures. Have your own address on the box and 

 see that the package is properly addressed to the merchant to- 

 whom you are shipping. Never ship any goods to arrive on a 

 hoUday. Always place a dupUcate invoice in every package 

 and notify the dealer by mail of shipment, sending the original 

 invoice in your letter. 



YeUow meated, yellow-legged, plump poultry is most in 

 demand in the eastern markets and when cleanly dry picked 

 and neatly packed commands the top prices. 



BALTIMORE MARKET 



Scalded poultry is preferred in Baltimore, Maryland, market 

 and sells best with head and feet off. The birds should be 

 scalded carefully and feathers removed without breaking the 

 skin. The scalded poultry should be plumped after picking 

 by dipping it for a few moments in hot water, not quite boiling. 



and then throwing the birds into cool water of the natural 

 temperature where they should remain ten to fifteen minutes. 

 When this is done cut off the head and feet and hang the car- 

 casses up to thoroughly dry off. Be sure that all animal heat 

 has passed out of the body before packing for shipment. Ship 

 in plainly marked packages as advised above, packed tightly 

 so that the flesh will not become bruised in transit. There is 

 a Mght demand in Baltimore for dry picked poultry. 



BUFFALO AND CHICAGO MARKETS 



In Buffalo, N. Y., and Chicago, lUs., scalded poultry is 

 in greatest demand and commands best prices. Care should 

 be taken not to scald the heads. For scalding use water that 

 is as near the boiUng point as possible without boiUng. Pick 

 the legs dry before scalding. Hold the bird by the head and 

 legs, immerse in the hot water, and Uft up and down two or 

 three times. Be careful not to immerse the head as it turns 

 the color of the comb and gives the eyes a shrunken appear- 

 ance, leading the buyer to think the fowl has been sick. Re- 

 move the feathers and pinfeathers without breaking the skin 

 and plump the bird as directed in preparing them for Balti- 

 more market. Birds are sold with heads and feet on and en- 

 trails in (undrawn). If crops contain food they should be re- 

 moved. Expertly dressed dry picked poultry is becoming more 

 and more in demand in these markets. 



ST. LOUIS MARKET 



A prominent dealer in St. Louis, Mo., says that careful 

 handling and fine appearance of the stock are half the selling. 

 When everything is plenty a fine lot of poultry will find favor 

 and sell readily, while rough stuff wiU he around and may 

 possibly have to be sacrificed at a discount. The St. Louis 

 market prefers scalded poultry carefully picked and well plumped. 

 The birds should be bled in the mouth and are sold with heads 

 and feet on, undrawn, the crops removed if they contain food. 



SAN FRANCISCO MARKET 



Dry picked poultry is in demand in San Francisco, Cal. 

 No poultry is scalded for this market as buyers will not purchase 

 it. The entrails are always left in and never drawn. Crop 

 is only removed when it contains food. Heads and feet are 

 always left on. 



Poultry should be packed in barrels or small boxes weigh- 

 ing from 100 to 200 pounds. Large plump poultry is always 

 in the best demand. This market differs from the eastern, 

 southern and mid-western markets, as the birds are customarily 

 sold by the pair or by the dozen. 



