134 THE HOME POULTRY BOOK 



as it keeps better than when the intestines are re- 

 moved. 



If the amateur prefers to scald his chickens before 

 picking them, the carcass should be immersed in 

 water just below the boiling point, and the water 

 allowed to penetrate the feathers to the skin. As 

 soon as the feathers have been removed, the bird 

 should be thrown into very hot or even boiling water 

 and quickly withdrawn and plunged into ice water, 

 where it may be left several hours. This practice 

 will give the carcass a plump and attractive appear- 

 ance. Ducks must be left in the hot water con- 

 siderable longer than chickens in order to have the 

 water penetrate the feathers, but ducks may be 

 picked dry as readily as other poultry. A good plan 

 is to pick the longer feathers of ducks dry and to 

 then scald off the others. 



Nest eggs are of value in teaching the pullets to 

 lay in the nests and to prevent several hens piling 

 into one nest. A nest egg is easily made by pierc- 

 ing the end of an ordinary egg and blowing the 

 contents out, afterward filling the egg with plaster 

 paris, warmed so that it can be used readily. When 

 the plaster hardens, a strong, durable nest egg is the 

 result 



