1904.] 



Poultry Rearing and Fattening. 



267 



considered satisfactory, and, of course, the quality of the flesh was 

 also considerably improved, as it always is when fowls are 

 fattened on sound, wholesome foods, such as barley-meal and 

 milk, with meals of other kinds for variety. 



As the fowls become fully " finished," which is generally after 

 three weeks confinement in the coops, they are prepared in 

 batches for killing. The only preparation necessary is to keep 

 them fasting for about twenty-four hours, so that there may be 

 no food in their crops, and the stomach and intestines may also 

 be nearly empty. 



Special days are set aside for killing and plucking, and these 

 are the busiest days at the stores. Extra hands are engaged 

 for these days, and it is usual to employ women and boys for 

 plucking and stubbing. The work is begun in the early morning, 

 when the fowls are conveyed from the fattening sheds to the 

 killing and plucking apartment, a dozen or so at a time in a 

 corn sack. The sack is laid on its side on the ground with the 

 mouth open, and as the birds are very fat and tame they do not 

 attempt to escape. The man who is engaged for killing takes 

 them from the sack one at a time and kills them rapidly by 

 dislocating the neck. The pluckers are seated on low forms, 

 forming a semi-circle, so that as the fowls are plucked the 

 feathers may accumulate in a large pile in the centre of the 

 circle, and cannot get scattered about the room. As the birds 

 are killed they are handed round to the pluckers, who work very 

 rapidly. When plucked the fowls are placed on a large deal 

 table, and they are then " stubbed " by two or three boys. 

 Stubbing consists in taking out the pin feathers, and a short, 

 blunt knife is used, the stub or pin feather being caught between 

 the knife and the thumb of the operator. These boys also clean 

 the legs and beaks of the birds, removing all traces of blood or 

 dirt, and they singe off the hairs by holding the carcases over 

 lighted straw. A piece of twine is next passed loosely and tied 

 round the hocks, and the bird is then ready for the shaping board. 



The fowls are placed upon shaping boards side by side in a 

 row, with breasts turned downwards, and weights are laid on 

 their backs to press them into a square shape. They are left in 

 this position until the following day, for they must be quite cold 

 before they can be packed. 



