Milford chronicle., 1915-12-10
HOW TO PACK POULTRY
Specialists Recommend Methods Of
Handling Poultry Upon Adverse
Weather Conditions.

Poultry packers are urged by the
specialists of the department to give un-
usual attention to preparing and pack
5ng their birds for shipment, particularly
IL the mild weather, which has been
widely prevalent this autumn, continues.
The poultry specialists say that the
weather conditions in many sections
have been very similar to those which
prevailed in the autumn of 1913 and
which, as poultry shippers will remem-
her, proved disastrous to all packers
Who did not dress, chill, and pack prop
erly.
The specialists, therefore, recommend
Ehe particular observance of the follow
aBg method of handling dressed poultry,
which are essential to perfect product
at any time and are of vital Importance
whenever weather conditions are un-
favorable:
METHODS OF HANDLING DRESSED
POULTRY.
/. Keep the holding batteries for
gOur incoming stock clean, well aired,
and free from vermin, and see that the
chickens have plenty of fresh water
and plenty to eat.
2. Don't kill a chicken when the
serop is full of feed. Give the chicken
only water for "a hours before it is kill
ed. Food in the crop or in the intestines
of dressed chicken causes loss of flavor
and hastens decay which more than
offsets any gain from extra weight.
3. Good bleeding is absolutely es SEN
,aial to a good appearance on the market
and retards decay Circular 81. Bureau
ogf Chemistry, Department of Agricul-
aure, explains the best methods of
bleeding and loosening the feather mus
,eles for dry picking.
f. Hang the chicken by both feet
ghile picking. Hanging bv one leg
spOiIs the shape of the bird. Picking on
the lap gets the skin dirty and hastens
decay.
s. Dry pick if possible. Scalding is
particularly undesirable because 1t
Aastens decay.
6. Chill every dressed bird until the |
lhOdv is below 35 degrees F. Never pack |
or shin an imperectly chilled bird. More !
sdecaV is due to imperfect chilling than |
TO any other single factor in dressing. |
Dry chill. if possible. Chickens cooled /
IN water lose flavor, decay sooner, will |
not cold-store as satisfactorily as dry |
chilled, and are in every way more un-
desirable on the market Refrigerator !
ears will carry well chilled goods in good !
sOndi tiOn, but they can not chill warm |
goods to a sufficiently low temperature. |
z. Pack in boxes or small kegs when |
ever possible. A large barrel makes an |
undesirable package, because where |
poultry is packed in large masses the |
weight of the upper layers crushes the
birds at the bottom
8. Line all packages with parchment |
paper and cover the top of the poultry
before the lid is put on.
9. Wrap every head in suitable paper
50 that blood from one bird will not mar
the appearance of another.
TO- Use only good refrigerator cars
and see that they are in good order.
Ice and salt the car "a hours before
loading. The car, at the end of "a hours, /
should show a tempature below 40 de-
sgrees F. at point 4 feet above the
1lOor and between the doors.
GENERAL SUGGESTIONS
Never handle chickens roughly, either
before or after killing. Rough handling
causes bruises, broken bones, SCARED
skins, and soft places in the flesh. I'm
due haste on the part of the killers and
lpickers results in lowered keeping quail
aty and poor appearance of the product
Piecework, which leads to quantity
rather than quality, makes for lower
prices on the market. Those who pay
by the piece should remember that they
sell by the quality of the piece.
These directions will apply with equal
force 70 turkeys intended for the holi-
day market.