MARKETING 



Killing. As the ducklings suitable for killing are 

 selected, 10 or 12 of them, depending upon the ca- 

 pacity of the killing room, are hung up by their feet, 

 the head being fastened down by means of a hook 

 or else weighted down by means of a blood can hung 

 from a hook inserted through the bill. By means of 

 a long, narrow bladed sharp knife the veins in the 

 throat just beyond the skull are severed so as to 

 cause free bleeding. The blood flows either into the 

 blood can or into a trough above which the birds are 

 hung. The birds are not stuck or brained unless it is 

 desired to dry pick them nor are they as a rule 

 stunned by hitting them on the head before bleed- 

 ing. In some states, however, the law requires that 

 all birds bled shall first be stunned in this manner. 

 The bleeding of the ducks causes their death and 

 they are allowed to hang until they are thoroughly 

 bled out. They are then taken down, the blood 

 washed off of their heads and placed on a table 

 or on the floor convenient to the pickers, other ducks 

 being hung in their places. 



Scalding. The picker selects a duck from the 

 table where they are placed after being taken down 

 and carries it to a large kettle of water which is 

 maintained at a temperature just below boiling. 

 They are thoroughly soused in this water holding 

 them by the head and feet so as to allow the water 

 to penetrate into the feathers until they can be 

 readily plucked. The picker tests the readiness with 

 which the feathers come out by plucking a few from 



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