The Washington times., 1925-12-07
Marketing for
Poultry
Institute Cooks Tell You How to
Select the Best Chickens.


Time was when the housewife
knew the life history of every bird
she slew, but since the poultry Of
today comes to market by long and
devious routes, it is necessary for
the buyer of poultry to appreciate
the points that are Indicative Of
good quality. Furthermore, even
though quality is Of prime import
ance, the intended use Of poultry
must always govern its selection.
An ideal broiler would surely
prove failure as a rooster, while
rooster would hardly live up to
its reputation as a fryer. The light
covering of tender, delicately- flavor
ed muscles Of the young broiler Is
not adapted to the longer periods
Of high temperatures to which the
roaster's carcass is subjected. Con-
sequently the proposed dish must
be ever kept in mind when pur-
chasing poultry.
There is also a seasonal supply
of poultry products which tends to
govern the purchasers selections.
OF course, there are seasons when
almost any kind Of fowl may be
secured, but for the most part there
is a cycle Of dressed poultry
throughout the year that ENSURES
variety to the connoisseur Of these
delectable dishes. There is q grave
question whether the great amount
of frozen poultry that comes to
market has as fine a flavor as the
freshly killed, but higher-priced
product.
In selecting any kind of poultry,
carcasses with short wings are
usually preferred, because there
is a tendency for them to have
ness of thighs, width of breast, and
general smoothneSs are all worth
as well. Practically all Yell-fattened
poultry is, divided into the two
great classes known as milk-fed
and corn-fed. Corn-fed poultry may
have received almost any grain diet,
and not infreQuently will have a
liberal supply of internal fat that is
expensive waste and adds in no way
to the value of the carcass. The
milk-fed poultry has been fed on
ground grain and some milk prod
uct and has a distinct flavor, due
in part to the distribution of fat
about the muscle fibers. Purchas-
ing such fowls from a reputable
dealer will generally insure salts
factory product.
There is difference of opinion
at various markets regarding the
most desirable skin color Of dressed
= Yr<A tkvSwr s. Ia.
! Is characteristic of the breed
prevents any possibility of associa.
ting this point with quality. How
ever, liberal milk feeding results in
bleaching of the skin and shanks.
Even a very yellow-skinned bird
will show much lighter skin after
short feeding period on milk.
Detecting the age of poultry il
usually accomplished by examining
the hardness Of the keel or breast
bone. In a young bird the cartilag-
nous tip OF this may be moved from
side to side. In fact, it may be so
| soft as to be depressed with the
| finger tips. BY the time the fowls
reach maturity the keel has a bone
like firmness. Other evidence of old
age Is found in the long hairs that
may be scattered oveFs the entire
body. Still another indication Of age
is the roughened appearance Of the
skin. which may sometimes have
great loose folds about the neck and
the abdomen. Where there is op-
portunity of examining the feet, the
| cider birds will usually have long,
rather blunt toe-nailS, the result of
q long period of activity in the barn
yard.
Broilers are the youngest chickens
that are offered for sale. Small
hHoilers weigh from Y to ~ pounds
and are seen in the largest numbers
| from July to September. When
fresh and properly handled. these
/ little birds are almost invariably OF
good quality. and the housewife has
little to fear in their purchase. The
broiler carcass should be split
lengthwise. so that the flesh will
rest on the broiler rack. The in.
cision is usually made down the
back on one side of the backbone.
| The broiler is usually very salts
| factory until it is some three or
four months OF age. after which
these binds advance into the fryer
class. The fryer weighs'from "a to
az pounds and is most abundant
during the fall months. In case
these birds weigh from to 8
pounds and are soft-fleshed, they
are classified as roasters. but in
order to qualify as a rooster it is
imperative that the carcass be lib
orally covered with soft flesh con-
tanning sufficient fat to make it
roast without drying< out. At the
same time the ideal rooster must
he justSa little. below the fully ma.
ture bird, or it will surely prove dis