PREPARING FOR MARKET 137 



absolutely successful way to ship iced poultry, and that 

 is in crushed ice. It should be shipped in barrels that 

 are strong, with holes in the bottom. First place a 

 layer of excelsior on the bottom of the barrel, then a 

 layer of crushed ice. Lay the fowls neatly together 

 and then cover them with another layer of crushed ice. 

 Keep this up until the barrel is filled. When the top 

 is reached, cover the last layer of fowls with an inch and 

 a half of ice. The finer it is crushed the better. Place 

 over this some excelsior, and over the top burlap. Poul- 

 try shipped in this way will never bruise, and arrives in 

 the market in excellent condition. In several instances 

 I have instructed my shippers to da this and once sent 

 a grate bar to a heavy shipper and instructed him to 

 pound his ice through this bar, so as to crush it. Ice 

 crushed as is done for barrooms is the kind to use in 

 shipping dressed poultry. The crushed ice seems to 

 form a crust in each layer and keeps the poultry as sweet 

 and nice as when first killed. All who follow these 

 directions will have no trouble with iced poultry." 



Shrinkage — The feathers weigh three to four 

 ounces. If the fowls are drawn and cleaned as for a 

 choice trade, the feathers, blood, intestines, etc., 

 removed will weigh seven to twelve ounces according 

 to method of preparation and size of fowl. In small 

 broilers the shrinkage may be as little as one-fourth 

 pound. 



Shipping Alive — Among those who have only 

 small lots of poultry to ship or who have had little 

 practice in killing and dressing for market, the practice 

 is increasing of shipping alive. Some commission men 

 make a specialty of handling live poultry. Instructions 

 and advice should be written for in advance. Live 

 fowls are usually in demand in summer and during 

 certain Jewish holidays. Great numbers of broilers 

 are shipped alive in spring and summer. All live fowls 



