The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-01-22
Preparing Poultry for Market.

PREPARING poultry 1Or market IL olteH
improperly performed, and hence the
great difference in their market value.
This is also one of the reasons why live
fowls are so often sought after. In the
first place the birds must be properly
fattcned, and this being done. if they
are carefully dressed, remuneratlve
prices are always the result. =.
Before being killed all fowls should
be tasted for at least fourteen hours.
Among the methods Of killing usually
had recourse to, NJ. Soyer recommends
breaking the neck; which is done by
taking the head in the right hand, with
the thumb against the back oft. Selling
The neck with the left, the same arm
supporting the fowl; then a quick jerk
with the right hand, turning the thumb
downward at the same time, separates
the yertebr;e it takes rather y
strong arm to do it. Countrymen and
MANY others attain the same object by
taking the head in the right hand and
swinging the fowl round by it. One
swing, properly done, will dislocate the
spine. Another method is to strike
a sharp blow on the back of the neck
with stick. But any of these methods
may cause much needless suffering in
] uuskillful hands. 1t is true there is no
instantaneous method of killing
fowl, the tenacity Of life being very
s great: but the actual operation should
be only momcntary; and we strongly
g advise all inexperienced amateurs to
a make sure of the matter by laying the
o neck on block and chopping off the
d head at a blow. What we have said as
to the tenacity Of life may be illustrated
'e by saying that even after this capita!
1t operation, the bird, if left to itself, vii!
IN struggle violently all over the yard; but
u this can, perhaps, hardly be called life
'e in the true sense, and we may hope
le there is little or no conscious pain. The
fowl should of course be bandaged, tc
prevent struggling; and, indeed, this
N ought to be done in all cases where tn
knife is employed, aftcrward hanging
up by the feet to bleed freely. Whel
o, the head is cut off, the skin shoul'
n afterward be drawn neatly over tn
n, stump and tied.
%. Poultry should be plucked or picke
n. whilst still warm, when the feather
Is. will be removed with much less diff
eft Guilty. Fowls are generally pickle
an quite clean, but it looks better in tn
NJ. case of young chickens to leave fe'
a feathers about the tail. They will e.
od best if nothing further is done to then
NJ. but it improves the appearance great
nd for market to plunge the carcass. in
hat meditely after plucking, into vessel
mo- boiling water for few moments, whie
ms, will ..plump" it a great deal and NAL
,eir the skin look bright and clean. Att
by scalding, turkeys and fowls should
,ai. hung by the legs, and waterfowl by t!
to neck. For senAing to market Who'll
9th sale. they should not be drawn, as tn
nts will keep much better without, and II
is the proper business of the retailt
ain but in selling for consumption, t
.;tb birds should be properly prepared
nm. table. It may not be out OF place
w remark, that If after drawing the c.
;ty be filled with charcoal broken
,oto .:..all pieces, the fowl may be k
: 80 sweet a considerable time. = Westt
" Ri:yal.