FATTENING AND MARKETING GEESE 



ereese are often in poor condition and bring the low- 

 est quotation. Large coops similar to those used 

 for turkeys should be used in shipping geese. 



Killing. Where geese are killed on the farm for 

 shipment to market they are usually hung up by 

 means of a cord about the legs. When geese are to 

 be dry picked the veins in the throat just beyond 

 the skull are first severed with a long bladed knife 

 such as used for killing turkeys to cause good bleed- 

 ing and the point of the knife is then plunged 

 through the roof of the mouth to the brain perform- 

 ing the stick which serves to make the feathers come 

 out more easily as with other classes of poultry. 

 Since it is rather difficult to dry pick geese, they are 

 usually scalded or steamed and where this is done, 

 the stick is not made but after the veins in the throat 

 are cut, the goose is stunned by a blow on the back 

 of the head with a short club. A blood can or weight 

 is then hooked through the lower bill which keeps 

 the neck straightened out and prevents the blood 

 from being thrown about the room or on the birds. 

 The birds are allowed to hang until they are dead 

 and thoroughly bled out. 



Picking. When geese are dry picked, the feathers 

 are removed just as soon as the birds are stuck for 

 the longer the delay the harder the feathers pull. 

 The wings are picked to the first joint and the feath- 

 ers of the neck half-way to the head. The soft pin 

 feathers and fine down may be removed by shaving 



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