142 MY POULTRY DAY BY DAY 
chickens are thus filled to repletion in an hour. The fatter who 
uses this machine kills about one hundred dozen a week, and in 
very busy times as many as thirty dozen a day. 
“He is served with the ‘raw material,’ the unfatted chicken, 
by five or six ‘higglers.’ 
“The fatting lodges contain two long rows of coops, one on each 
side, the whole length of the building. The structure is supported 
on poles, with rafters of the same material, and thatched both roof 
and sides with heather. Some, however, are enclosed and roofed 
with fagots. 
“The length of these lodges sometimes extends to thirty or more 
feet, by six or so wide. Ona large establishment there will be some 
dozen lodges, and in addition perhaps a hundred yards of coops 
under the hedges, or in sheltered spots in the garden. Six persons, 
men and boys, are wholly occupied in feeding, killing, and pluck- 
ing. In smaller establishments the work is done by man and wife, 
with a certain amount of help from the children. 
“One evil effect of the fatting process is that those employed in 
it are obliged to carry on their business on Sundays, and seldom are 
seen at church or chapel. 
‘The chickens, plucked and trussed ready for market, are packed 
in the ‘ market ped,’ and called for by the carrier. 
*« Some idea of the importance of the business to the poor people 
who live in this part of the Weald may be gathered from the 
following statistics, furnished me by a friend to whom I am in- 
debted for the whole of the information contained in this part of 
my paper. 
“In 1864, 168 tons 5 ewt. 7 Ib. of fatted chicken were sent up to 
London from Heathfield by one carrier, being 101,547 fowls fed 
and fatted in the three parishes of Heathfield, Warbleton, and 
Waldron. In 1867 and 1868 the quantity somewhat diminished ; 
in 1869 and 1870 it rose to 181 and 191 tons, or 105,887 fowls. 
“Between thirteen and fifteen thousand pounds has been paid 
annually to the fatters by this one carrier besides the sums received 
direct from the London salesman. The quantity this year, it is 
estimated, will reach 200 tons. To these numbers may be added 
