FATTENING AND MARKETING GEESE 



and early fall while others pick twice, once in the 

 spring and once in the fall, or once in the spring 

 only . Geese should never be picked during the late 

 fall or winter when the weather is cold or during 

 the breeding season. Both young and old geese are 

 plucked and the average yearly production of 

 feathers per goose is about one pound. When the 

 quills of the feathers are dry and do not contain any 

 blood, the feathers are ripe for picking. In pluck- 

 ing, a stocking is placed over the head of the goose 

 and the goose held on the lap and between the legs 

 during the process. 



An assistant to hold the goose during the pluck- 

 ing simplifies the work greatly. In plucking, part 

 of the soft feathers of the breast, sides, abdomen 

 and back are taken but these sections should not be 

 plucked clean. It is especially important that 

 enough short feathers be left to support the wings. 



After plucking, the feathers must be cured before 

 they are shipped. This may be done by spreading 

 them out on a floor as described for the feathers 

 taken from slaughtered geese or they may be placed 

 loosely in burlap sacks and hung up in a garret or 

 loft. Hanging in this way and in the loosely woven 

 sacks, they are subjected to a good circulation of air 

 and will dry out without heating. Sacks of feathers 

 should not be piled or packed closely together, on 

 top of one another or even be allowed to lie on the 

 floor until they are thoroughly dry as otherwise they 

 are almost sure to heat and mold. 



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