486 »y 1 GOLUS POUURYHCXISE UIPMENT a<*' OLUS Ali u^H. ^'^' POULTRY HOUSE EQUIPMENT THE COLLIS COMPANY MANUFACTURERS CLINTON, IOWA COPYRlGHT-1917 BY THE COLLIS COo FOREWORD /Vj^UR consistent adherence to the policy of main- >^ taining the highest grade of workmanship and quality in our product has made the name of The Collis Company synonymous with all that's best in Poultry House Equipment. When you contemplate building a new poultry house, or change your present quarters, take the matter up with us. We can assist you and the service is GRATIS. We have some of the most efficient draughtsmen to be found anywhere who will gladly make blue prints or floor plans for you for the asking. Have our de- signers go into your building problem with you, it is not only a pleasure but it is a big part of our business to assist you. We can lay out a new plant in which there will be no lost motion and no unnecessary expense. We will also give you ideas on many little labor saving de- vices that will reduce your cost of handling. We are, also, conversant in the building of cooling rooms, freez- ers, etc., and we know our visit will save you money. Drop us a line— possibly one of our men is in your immediate vicinity when you write, and remember you are not obligated to us in any shape or manner— this service is absolutely without charge. ©CI.A473452 APR -7 1917 THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. Steel for Permanence Marvelous, indeed, is the scope of the Steel industry of to-day with its mammoth mills and countless ore mines working" overtime to supply this metal which is so rapidly replacing wood in this — our GREATEST commercial era. The wildest dreamer, or idealist, of any time, never conceived in the slightest degree of the many uses Steel would be put to and little did the poultry men of even five years ago imagine that the time was approaching when they too would make use of this con- crete material in the construction of Poultry House Equipment. FACTORY BUILDING COVERING 125,000 SQUARE FEET. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. CoUis "All Steel" Batteries Collis "All Steel" Batteries are not an experiment — they have l:)een put to the test and ha\'e been acknowledged as the perfect 1)at- terv bv the most critical. A\'e are practical poultry house supply people and our judgment told us long ago that this type of steel batterv would replace wooden equipment in all poultry houses, just as soon as the fact became known, that l)etter results were ob- tained with them. It took four \ears to perfect the Collis "All Steel" Battery, but today w^e have the highest development in steel battery construc- tion. Our equipment satisfies because it has an inventory value, is made along practical lines, and if gi\'en but ordinary care, it will last a lifetime. When you use the Collis "All Steel" Battery the death loss will be minimized — the percentage of culls will also be reduced to the minimum and you will get the maximum feeding gains. This is made possible l)y the fact, that they are large and airy — are sanitary — no breeding places for lice and mites and the feeder has a clear vision of the birds within, which makes it impossible to overcrowd any of the compartments. Every foot of space in your plant is valuable, it costs you hard earned dollars every day, year in and year out. And every foot of wasted space means actual money loss. Collis "All Steel" Batteries have increased the feeding capacity in all plants where it is used ap- proximately 50% over wooden equipment. You can not make an investment that will net you larger profits. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. BATTERY No. 1. Eight Compartments, Size 36x42x72. Capacity 72 head, depending on size. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. BATTERY No. 2. Sixteen compartments. Size 35x60x72. Capacity 112 head, depend ing on size. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. BATTERY No. 3. HYSON ROLLER BEARING WHEELS. Sixteen compartments, Size 36x60x72. Capacity 112 head, depending on size. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. Dolly Trucks A\ hen there is trucking to be done, such as loading or unloading of cars, or the handling of coops or boxes of poultr}'^ — also cases of eggs, you want trucks that are solid, that run easy, and are always ready for instant use, at the same time so constructed that thev can be stacked in small space wdien not in use. In designing the Collis "All Steel" lo\v-built Dolly truck we ha\"e kept these important points continually before us, and now offer you a truck that has met with instant appro\'al of the most critical men in the business- The Collis "All Steel" Dolly truck is constructed entirely of steel, the workmanship is of the same quality wdiich has made Collis "All Steel" Equipment noted for it's lasting qualities. DOLLY TRUCK, CHICKENS. DOLLY TRUCK, CASES OF EGGS. No. 2 COLLIS STANDARD DOLLY. No. 3. COLLIS ROLLER BEARING DOLLY. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. CoUis "All Steel" Cooling Racks No. 1. You will find illustrated on page 10 the best Cooling Rack that has ever been produced. This rack is honestly made, has practical lines and is giving uni- versal satisfaction wherever used. The wire used is Spring Steel Wire which is the best obtainable, and which no other rack has but OURS. The large wheels are roller bearing which makes this rack easy to transport and the Sliding Spring Leg Holding Device is a patented feature that is ours alone and which no other manufacturer can pos- sibly give you. No. 2. On page 11 you will find a cut of the Collis "All Steel" Flat Rack which we have found advisable to design for those who wish to lay their birds flat to cool. The same general design has been carried out as in our No. 1 Rack — the workmanship is of the highest grade, and the material the best that money can buy. Collis "All Steel" Cooling Racks are built to last. They are made in various sizes so as to permit passage through any width door. Be sure to investigate these racks — they will make YOU monev. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. No. 1 COLLIS COOLING RACK. Made in Three Sizes. , 180 Will Clear Door 45 Inches Wide. CAPACITY^ 150 Will Clear Door 34 Inches Wide. 120 10 THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. No 2 COLLIS COOLING RACK. Made in Two Sizes. Small Will Clear Door 34 Inches Wide. Large Will Clear Door 43 Inches Wide. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. Collis Duck and Goose Steamer Here is an innovation that is destined to alter tlie dressing of ducks and geese 1)ecause we have worked everything out for you and all \'ou need to do, is to follow the directions closely and you will turn out strictly dr}', nuniher one ducks and geese that will command top prices on any market. This steamer \v')\\ chamher three ducks or geese at one time. Do awa_\- \\-ith the resin and scalding method of old and adopt this st\'le of dressing — it sa\'es }ou exery feather and they are in a nice dr}' condition. All }ou need is to make the steam connection and \-ou are read}- to steam ducks. This steamer is nicely construct- ed and is ready for instant use on arrival. You can fill it \\'ith water and h}' regulating the steam pressure you will havQ uniform temper- ature of hot water for scalding poultry, it makes an admirable scald- ing vat and CA'er}- poultry house should ha^'e one. It }'ou are not e(juipped with steam in your plant, write us and we will tell }'ou where to get a small economical upright boiler that will handle this. With this steamer in your plant you can heat water instantly for an}- ])nr]30se. No more clouds of steam in your picking room with this steam- er in use. You can dress poultry or do any other work in the same room without being hindered by steam and condensation. Investi- gate this device at once. Number one ducks and geese are bringing premiums these days. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. COLLIS DUCK AND GOOSE STEAMER. Patents Pending. 13 THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. Blood Cups, Knives and Shackles These necessar\' 1)ut inexpensive picking room accessories proved a boon in the dressing- of ponltry last year, becanse we are in receipt of a great many comphmentary letters from firms on how their general use. improved the appearance and increased the sale of their pack of ponltry. We make them for l)oth chickens and tnrkeys. They are made of the best material we can get and they give al)Solnte satisfaction: The Blood Cnp is weighted so as to hold the neck of the bird down straight and stiff, wdiich permits the free flow of blood. The Shackle, besides throwing the hips ont, which prevents rnbbing, al- so saves time and labor o\'er the old l)utton arrangement — while the Knife is the correct killing and bleeding knife, owing to its peculiar shaped blade. These articles have proven their worth and if you failed to use them last season, he sure and include them when ordering this year. Ask any dealer \\-ho uses them and he will tell you, that he would never dress poultry again \\ithout these accessories in his picking room. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. lOLUS COMPAM-r "^-^ Blood Cups, Knives and Shackles THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. Feeding Tank Truck This feeding" tank on wheels has proven itself to be about the handiest thing yon can get into a poultry house in the equipment line ; it answers a great many purposes and wdien not in use as a feed mixing tank, it is used as a dump cart for manure and refuse. It can be instantly cleaned w^ith water and it, also, serves as a container for watering poultry, scrub1)ing floors, etc. This truck will always be found in use both winter and summer. It is durably made of heavy steel with the same degree of quality and exactness that goes into all Collis Equipment. A\'hether ordering Batteries or not — be sure and get at least one of these handy trucks. They hold 90 gallons of water and are practically indispensible. Wooden feeding trucks do not give satisfaction because they not only warp and leak, 1)ut they are also hard to keep clean, which often results in sour feed- Get our delivered price on this b^ecling Truck and }'OU will never even consider buildins; one \ourself. FEEDING TANK TRUCK. 16 THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. Milk Feeding or Watering Bucket This bucket answers the dual purpose of l30th feeding and wat- ering" poultry and you can see by the cut that it is made up exactly right for either purpose, it is 14" high, weighs 5 lbs., and holds 4 gallons of water. We have put a considerably heavier gauge metal into this buck- et than usuall}^ g"oes into pails of any kind and we positively guaran- tee it to stand your hard usage for a year. This bucket is heavily galvanized, which adds to its life and we will replace it gratis if it does not last you an entire year. Don't waste water and feed any longer, but have us supply you immediately. with these splendid, durable buckets. You can feed and water your poultry so much quicker with this bucket that its cost is saved in labor in almost the first operation. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. CoUis Disinfectant Poultry men exerywhcre now realize the importance of sanita- tion in their poultry houses for best results and if COLLIS DISIN- FECTANT is used freely and with full instructions, you will not only reduce the mortality and disease in your plant, but you will incur the everlasting gratitude of nearby residents to say nothing of your local board of health. COLLIS DISINFEC'J\\NT is an economical disinfectant, es- pecially adapted for poultry houses and it is shipped in barrels and half-barrels only. Order a barrel to-day and mix some of it in the so- lution every time you whitewash the coops or the walls. Spray or sprinkle it around on the lloors and kill the tlisease germs that linger there. You can't go ^\■rong on a disenfectant, if }'ou ])uy from us. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. Feeding and Watering Troughs Ex])erience has taus^iit us that tliere is only one successful Feed- ing' and AA'atering- 'J^rough, namel>' a one jiiece wooden trough such as illustrated below. Our wooden Trough is a strictly one piece trough and by that we mean that it is hewn out of a log in the "V" shape and it is not nailed together. Get our jiricc on this one i)iece trough — it will interest you. WOODEN MILK FEEDING TROUGHS— Any Length. 20 THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. Wire Bottoms, Window Guards Let lis supply your needs in this line because we know just what you are looking for, and are in position to make attractive prices. 21 THE REMAINDER OF THIS BOOK IS DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE POULTRY PACKING INDUSTRY AND CONTAINS SUGGESTIONS, ILLUSTRATIONS, CHARTS, SPECI- FICATIONS, ETC., THAT SHOULD BE OF ASSISTANCE TO YOU IN YOUR BUSINESS. :-: :-: :-: Contents: HOW TO KILL AND BLEED MARKET POULTRY. POULTRY RECEIVING ROOM. THE FEEDING STATION. THE PICKING ROOM. THE COOLING ROOM. GRADING AND PACKING. BOX SIZES AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR PACKING POULTRY. How to Kill and Bleed Market Poultry By M. E. Pennington. Chief Food Research Laboratory and H. M. P. Betts. Copied from Bulletin issued by U. S. Department of Agriculture. Bureau of Chemistry — Circular No. 61, Revised, Carl L. Alsberg, Chief of Bureau. INTRODUCTION. The problem of getting poultry to market in first-class condition, as determined by its appearance, flavor, and "keeping quality," is no longer the comparatively simple proposition that the farmer or poultry dresser found it in the days when cities were smaller and could draw upon their environs for a large share of the poultry which they consumed. At the present time the quantities of perishable food- stuffs of all kinds required by the cities are so great that their im- mediate vicinity can not supply the demand. Neither do the various parts of the country endeavor at the present time to supply either the quantity or the variety of perishable foods consumed in them, because economic conditions have made it advisable for certain sec- tions of the country, especially adapted to the production of certain kinds of crops, to raise these in much larger amounts than are needed for home consumption, and to send the surplus to the sections of nonproduction, or where a shortage prevails. Such a condition of affairs has led to the lengthening of the period between production and consumption. In order, therefore, that perishable produce shall still reach the market in good condition, it must be handled in such wise that deterioration will be checked as far as possible. To acomphsh this there have been developed railroad refrigerator cars, fast freights, cold-storage warehouses, and all that vast and com- plicated system on which depends the feeding of our populace the year round and the equalization of seasonal and regional overpro- duction. In spite of this system, however, if care of the product at the source of production is lacking, deterioration will occur before the product reaches the consumer. The California orange must be cut from the tree carefully and handled carefully if it is to travel with safetv from the Pacific States to the consumer in New York. 23 THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. The Oregon raspberry must be picked at the proper stage of develop- ment and then kept cool if it is to be enjoyed by the people in Minne- apolis and St. Paul. The meat raised on our western prairies must be properly slaughtered, chilled, and maintained in a chilled condition if it is to feed the people of London- Just so it is with dressed poultry. It is is to reach the consumer with* the best of flavor and wholesomeness, the most attractive ap- pearance, and in the best possible state of preservation, it must be properly raised, killed, and dressed. Granting that the chicken has been bred and fed to be a good eating chicken and that it is ready for slaughter, the first step in the preservation of its good quahties is to starve it for twenty-four hours, allowing, however, a liberable supply of fresh, clean water during this period. The intestines of the bird having been emptied of food, the next step in the dressing of market poultry is the proper killing and bleeding of the fowl, and it is with this question that the present pul3lication is chiefly concerned. Evidences of Bad Bleeding. A very large proportion of the unsightly poultry in our markets, aside from the rubbing and tearing of the skins, is caused by an incomplete removal of the blood. This is evidenced by red dots which frequently occur where the feathers have been removed, especially over the thighs and wings; or by the small veins which are seen over the breast and in the angles of the wings, or larger veins, which mar the appearance of the neck. Generally it is the neck which show^s most plainly the presence of blood in the fowl, or that a wrong method has been used in cutting the blood vessels in an attempt to empty them. The neck is the first part to discolor, becoming first red, then bluish red or purple, and finally green as aging progresses. Often there are discolored areas on the sides of the neck close to the head which look like bruises. These are com- monly caused by the killer holding the neck of the bird when cutting the veins, and thereby preventing the blood from escaping. This question is so important, however, that it will be considered in detail later on. Not only are the results of bad bleeding observed in certain parts of the body, but the clear, bright color of the flesh for which every poultry dresser tries is never at its best unless the blood has been completely drained out. Market Loss Due to Bad Bleeding. At least 30 per cent of all the poultry coming into the New York market is incompleteh^ bled. Much of it is so badly bled that it results in a loss of from 2 to 5 cents a pound, as compared with the cor- responding poultry which is well bled and in good order. Aside from 24 THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. the bad appearance of incompletely bled chickens, their keeping- properties are very inferior. The flesh loses its firmness sooner; its flavor is not so good ; the odor of stale flesh and finally of putrefac- tion comes sooner; and in every way the product is more perishable. Keeping Quality of Well and Badly Bled Chickens. A very careful study is now being made in this laboratory of the comparative periods of time that well and badly bled chickens will keep. This is being determined for every phase of their marketing — their condition after chilhng in the packing house ; when they reach the end of their railroad haul ; and when they have passed through the various channels of a large city to the consumer. The time re- quired for such a study makes it impossible to give the results of the vvork in detail at present. Certain salient points, however, stand out with such sharpness that it seems advisable to report them in a sum- marized form, that those who are engaged in the dressing and hand- ling of poultry may be able to profit by them at once. Study of Blood Vessels of Neck and Head. An anatomical study of the blood vessels of the head and neck of the chicken has been included in the investigation of the handling and marketing of dressed poultry in order to determine the best methods of bleeding and the reasons for the incomplete bleeding which is so prevalent. Heretofore there has been no description available of the number and location of the large veins in the neck of a chicken This lack of knowledge has resulted in much indiscriminate hacking and gashing of the chicken's mouth, all of which is frequently done to no purpose, because in spite of the many cuts the large veins which carry the blood often are not touched. "Cutting" to Bleed and "Sticking" to Brain. When the feathers are removed by scalding, the bird is killed by bleeding alone, hence the cuts to sever the veins are the only ones attempted, and if the attempt fails bad bleeding will surely result. If, on the other hand, dry picking is to be practiced, the birds are cut to bleed and are also stuck through the brain to paralyze the feather muscles. The latter operation is sometimes performed by running the knife under the eye at such an angle that its point will touch the skull midway between the eyes and a little behind them ; or the braining is accomplished by placing the knife about halfway down the groove in the roof of the chicken's mouth, and then thrusting it up until the knife reaches the top of the skull. The knife, as in sticking under the eye, should touch the brain in the back part of the skull. The point of the knife should then be twisted slightly, so that enough brain tissue may be destroyed to paralyze the bird and cause the feathers to loosen. If the "outside-stick" method is prac- ticed, practically no blood escapes. If, on the other hand, brainmg 25 THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. inside of the month is adopted, the blood vessels in the brain which are cnt find an ontlet for their contents throng-h the knife hole. Bleeding from these vessels is, nnder any circnmstances, of assist- ance in obtaining" the best results, and where the neck vessels are missed the condition of the chicken is often g'reatly im- proved by the bleeding from the ^ilWl I I'l, // y brain. Discussion of the Illustrations. Location of Veins. The location of the principal veins in the neck of the chicken, their relation to the skull, and the point at which it is desirable to make the cut for bleeding, are shown in the accompanying illustrations. Figure 1 shows the head and neck of a young cock about a year old. Two large veins (heavily lined with black in the figure ) run the whole length of the neck, one on each side, and unite by a "bridge- vein" which is just below and be- hind the ear. This vein, which connects the two others, does not run straight across but at an angle, so that it is farther front on the right than on the left side. If the feathers on the neck of a chicken are pushed aside, or, better still, if a molt- ing chicken with but a few feathers is observed, these veins can be seen at each side of the neck while the bird is alive. 1.— External view of head and neck, eSpCCiallv if a little prCSSUrC is snowing position of veins. \„op<^v-ici.»i_% ii u, ^ i. ^ j^ used at the lower part of the neck so that the blood collects and distends them. It is important that the position of these veins be exactlv located on the neck of the live bird, since upon this infor- THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. mation will depend very largely the proper guiding of the knife to the blood vessel. Figure 2 shows two sketches of a chicken's head from which the lower jaw has been removed. The lower jaw of the chicken is much longer than the beak. It runs back to a point just below the ear. where the hinged joint can be felt. The skin which makes the corner of the mouth and limits the length of the beak ends is indicated in the anatomical drawing marked "A." The skin and lower jaw_ have been cut away in order that the position of the veins which lie far back on the roof of the mouth and just below its surface may be seen. The groove which occurs in the roof of the chicken's mouth is a guide to the position of the blood vessel which it is desirable to cut, this point being behind and to the left of the end of the groove when the chicken is held head down and with lower side of the head uppermost The direction and position of the cut which is to sever the veins is shown in figure 2 to be on the left side of the chicken's head when in the position just described. Because the short blood vessel connect- ing the two long veins, which we have termed the "bridge," does not run straight but at an angle, the point just indicated is farthest front and the most easily reached by the knife. As stated before, these veins lie just below the skin of the roof of the mouth, hence a deep cut is not needed, neither is any amount of strength required for the operation. It will be observed that just in front of the line which indicates the point at which these veins are to be cut they divide into two small branches, the course of which is not further shown. This is be- cause thev very soon pass through small holes in the bone and go into the inside of the skull, and into the deep tissue, where they are quite safe from the killer's knife. If, then, these large veins are to be severed, the cut must be made far enough back to reach them before they penetrate the bones of the skull. On the other hand if the cut is made too far back and over the edge of the skull, as will be dis- cussed in connection with figure 2, B, much of the blood will settle in the loose tissue of the neck instead of running out of the mouth, thereby clogging the vessels and preventing complete bleeding, as well as making unsightly, discolored areas on the neck near the head. It is better to make one cut as shown in this plate rather than to cut the "bridge" in the middle or to cut each side vein separately, since this sometimes results in the clotting of the blood at the ends of the veins before the bleeding is completed. Anatomy of the Skull. From what has been said concerning the necessity of cutting far back in order to reach the point desired, it will be seen that it is necessary to know something of the position and shape of the bones THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. of the chicken's skull and their relation to the external parts of the head. This information is given in figure 2, B. Dotted lines around the drawing of the skull show the position of wattles, comb, etc. In this sketch, too, is shown clearly the length of the chicken's jaw, as before mentioned. Its hinge will be found on the head of the live bird just below the ear. Still farther back there is a U-shaped depression in the skull into which fits the upper part of the spinal column. The spine is not shown in the sketch, but the bridge vein connecting the two large veins of the neck lies directly across the U-shaped depression. It can be seen by studying- this drawing how far back the knife must go if the veins are to be cut at the angle, and it will also be ob- served that when the)^ are cut in this position the knife will have a bony backing which will prevent it from going too deep, thereby obviating the spongy mass of blood in the neck tissues which was dis- cussed in connection with figure 2, A. This illustration also shows where the fingers can grasp the head of the chicken firmly and yet not press against the soft parts of the neck. Just above the angle of the jaw— that is, about at the chicken's ear — there is a smooth, strong area of bone large enough to support the thumb on one side and the forefinger on the other, and this is where the head should be held while killing. Position of Hand and Knife. Figure 3 shows the position of a chicken ready for killing and held by the feet in a U-shaped shackle. Notice that the thumb of the killer is pressed firmly down on the head just below and behind the ear in the space to which attention was called when discussing the bones of the skull. Here, too, is the hinge of the jaw. Pressure of the thumb on one side of this portion of the skull and on the other side at the same place with the forefinger, or with the forefinger and second finger, will result in opening the chicken's mouth and holding it open while the operator makes the cut to bleed. Held in such fashion, there is nothing to constrict the blood vessels, thereby pre- venting the blood from escaping even though these vessels be cut. The pressure against the jaw makes accurate cutting of the veins easier, since the bird can not close its mouth until the pressure is removed. Of course, care must be taken not to stretch the neck unduly, else the vessels will be pulled to such a narrow diameter that they are more difficult to find and also more difficult to empty- The position of the knife in the mouth, which is shown by the dotted line, needs no further explanation. The knife itself, how- ever, is very dififerent from that ordinarily used in the bleeding of chickens. The knife in common use is much too large, both too THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. long- and too broad for the most successful work. Generally it is provided with a heavy handle, large enough to be grasped easily l)y a large, strong hand. As has already been observed in this dis- cussion, the heavy slashing inside the bird's mouth is not only fre- quentlv futile so far as cutting the veins goes, Imt is really harmful in that it makes a pathway for the entrance of bacteria and the con- sequent hastening- of the bird's decomposition. The operation calls for accuracv rather than for strength, and therefore it is desirable that the knife should have a smaller handle, which can not be gripped so hard. The blade of the knife should be about 2 inches long and Fig. 3. — Correct grasp of head at angle of jaw and position of small knife when cutting vein. one-fourth of an inch wide and of a heavy piece of steel, so that it will not bend. It is advisable, therefore, to have the back of the blade about one-sixteenth of an inch thick. It should be made of good, hard steel and ground to a sharp point with a straight cutting edge, the slope for the point being taken from the back rather than from the edge. The working space in the back part of the mouth of the chicken where the blood vessels lie is very small. Often the knife which is used by the killer is too broad to go into this space without cutting the sides of the mouth, and as for turning and guiding it, that is quite out of the question. 30 Examples of Bad Cutting. Ineffectual cutting", due to lack of knowledge of the structure of the chicken's neck and head, the use of force rather than skill on the part of the operator, and a knife ill adapted to the work which it has to do, is illustrated in figures 4 and 5 which show some of the most common types of cuts in badly bled chickens. A study of these illus- Fig. 4. — Location of cuts in mouths of badly bled chickens (lower jaw removed). trations indicates very plainly why these chickens are badly bled. The lower jaws from these heads were removed so that the position of the cuts could be noted Head A has had two cuts. One has run parallel with the connection between the two veins and very close to it but has not cut it, and another has run from the angle of the mouth to close to the point where the blood vessel on the left side 31 THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. of the head breaks into the two smaller vessels and penetrates the bones of the skull. The only vessels which were cut in this chicken were the small superficial veins supplying- the roof of the month and from which the ])leeding- amounted to almost nothing. Head B Fig. 5. — Attempts at "cross cutting," showing veins untouched. shows a cut in the right direction but it did not go quite far enough back to reach the veins at their junction. Head A, in figure 5, shows the cross cut which is advocated by so many killers. In this case it was made too far front. Both of the large veins escaped and only the small vessels of the roof of the mouth were disturbed. "B" is a good illustration of indiscriminate cutting by a badly directed knife. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. which in all probabilit}'^ was far too large, since the upper cut extends all the way across the roof of the chicken's mouth and almost as far front as the beak. Another cut Avhich partly follows the groove in the roof of the mouth would indicate that the killer had tried to make a cross cut. Such examples of bad cutting might be multiplied indefinitely. Yet the general principle is the same and the result is the same — namely, a fowl which is not completely bled, which is unsightl}'', even in the packing house, and which deteriorates as a food stuff more rapidly than does the well-bled chicken under similar conditions. Summary. The facts which have been stated in the foregoing pages may be summarized as follows : (1) Grasp the chicken when killing by the bony part of the skull. Do not let the fingers touch the neck. (2) Make a small cut inside the mouth on the right side of the throat just where the bones of the skull end, using a narrow-bladed sharp-pointed knife. The direction of the knife is upward and toward the left when the bird is held head downward with the throat toward the operator while killing. (3) Brain for dry picking by thrusting the knife through the groove which runs along the middle line of the roof of the mouth until it pierces the brain in the back part of the skull, causing a loosening of the feathers. (4) For chickens use a knife the blade of which is 2 inches long, one-fourth inch wide, with a thin, flat handle, a sharp point, and a straight cutting edge. For turkeys the blade may be 2y2 inches long. Keep knives very sharp. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. MODEL PLANT AT CENTERVILLE, IOWA. Poultry Receiving Room This name implies l)ut very little, but here is where care should be exercised and a lot of carefnl grading done in the in-coming ship- ments of live poultry. Accurate weighing is, of course, essential but the weigh-master should also see that no sick or droopy chickens be permitted to go into the Feeding Station. Take no chances on disease ; if you see a chicken or two in an in-coming coop that does not look exactly right — take it in the pick- ing room and have it killed. It is better to have them dressed and in your packing room, even though they are number two's than to be increasing your shrinkage by having them die, and going out to the city dumps. Handle poultry of all descriptions in a gentle manner, and avoid bruises, discoloration s and broken wings, which only detract from their selling value. Poultry coming in your plant that is heavy with crop, should stand a dock in weight — this should be done, not only 34 THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. because of the weight of the crop itself, but on account of the fact, that you have to wait for this mass to digest before you start milk feeding them, which makes this stock become your property for an unnecessary day longer. Have a special Battery for the white feathered hens and springs and do this, separating, when the stock is coming in the plant; small broilers should also be kept separate from the heavier stock because thev do better on feed in a Battery by themselves, than when they are thrown in with the heavy roasting chickens which crowd them away from the troughs at feeding time. Each and every day's business should be dated and lot num- bered, and this record should follow the stock clear through the plant to the packing room. Another important matter in the receiving room is to not over- crowd the Batteries intended for the feeding station. If business is but normal, have all the equipment in use and by that, we mean, that it is a poor policy to have half of your equipment empty and standing idle and the other half overcrowded with birds. Ten chick- ens in a compartment will do so well — eight will do better — but six will do still better; don't forget this, because it means money to you. The Feeding Station The FEEDING STATION need not necessarily be large, but it should be comfortable arranged, from a labor-saving, light and ventilating point of view. With this taken care of, the Equipment is the next consider- ation conducive to good results. We would say, that the Batteries and Feeding Trucks should be of STEEL — not only because of their being sanitary, but owing to the fact, that the best results are produced with them. The Live Poultry intended for- the Station should have the EAR MARKS of good FEEDERS, and, in a well regulated plant, this live poultry grading is done in the Receiving Room. It is THERE that the separating of the sick, roupy, black-feathered and various weights of chickens is done and not after it has reached the confines of the fattening room. The day was, when the milk feeding of poultry was surrounded by more or less mystery, but thanks to the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and others, it is being so simplified, that anyone with ordinary good judgment can to-day milk feed poultry profitably. Opinions and advice on this ART are still somewhat diversified, but what we offer is taken from our large and broad EXPERIENCE, and it is, therefore, of a practical nature. 35 MODEL FEEDING STATION EQUIPPED WITH COLLIS "ALL STEEL" BATTERIES. The number of times per day to feed depends largely upon the time of the year; where you are located, and what you are feeding for. From an economical point of view, feeding twice a day is best, as it requires less feed ; less labor and practically all of the food the bird consumes goes to account and is not wasted. We advise MOISTENING-UP the feed a few hours in advance of the feeding time, as it softens the feed, making ASSIMILATION easier. New stock going on feed should be given only water to drink, for the first four to six hours, as this lapse of time permits the digestion^ of the \\HOLE CORN and AN'HOLE GRAINS which are in their crops when they arrive from the shipping points. It is advisable to start this stock ofT on a milk feed diet rather slowly — their first two milk feeds should be fairly thin — increasing the solids as you go along. Feed in the early morning only what they will clean up in the course of an hour or an hour and a half, arranging to take their feed away by 8:30 A. M. Start the afternoon feed at around 3:30 P. M., de- pending of course on the length of the days and give them all that they will consume up to quitting time at night. Have the evening feed considerably thicker than the morning mixture, for the reason, that we figure almost all of the weight or gains are put on at night and, in order to do this they must have the solids to work on. GRIT is not at all necessary in the milk feeding of poultry and neither do TALLOAV and the many condimental TONICS pay for themselves, in increased gains over their cost. 36 THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. We are asked— HOW MANY DAYS SHALL WE FEED OUR POULTRY? That all depends upon what is wanted and what you are feeding for. If the product is to be sold in competition with the best grades of milk fed poultry, it must be in good FLESH and it must have good COLOR. To do this, it has required at least ten da3^s' feeding. If only gains in weight are desired and no atten- tion paid to color, we would say — feed the stock from five to seven days. With the right kind of a ration in use, the shorter feeding time has been proven to have been the most profitable. We do not feel that it pays to feed poultry over ten days 1)ecause you can get the same results in ten days that you can get in fourteen days, taking everything into consideration. Poultry on feed cannot be watched too closely for evidences of SICKNESS and DISEASE. Don't try to doctor sick chickens — it is a mistake, and a loss of time and money. By paying careful at- tention, you can catch this stock before the DISEASE has made any appreciable headway. Dead Chickens going out in the dump, not only reduces your feeding- gains, but your bank account as well. Judgment in feeding poultry must be used in extremely HOT WEATHER, and it is advisable to supply some moisture on these days at noon. This is done by giving the stock a light thin feed of the regular ration — do not, however, give them such a quantity that it will appease their appetites for the evening meal because this is really the feed that does the good and, unless you can get your poul- try to consume a large quantity of feed at night, you are not going to be successful. The food should be removed from the TROUGHS when the stock is through eating and the troughs turned up-side- down in order to insure their cleanliness for the next feed. Other important matters in the milk feeding of poultry are to heat the feed when the weather is cold and avoid crowding in the compartments — use plenty of Equipment keeping the Batteries thinned down and you will be more successful. Keep the Station reasonably clean and be a free user of DISINFECTANTS, avoid DRAFTS and use every possible means of keeping that dread disease— ROUP— out of vour STATION. Collis "All Steel" Cooling Rack Full of Iowa Poultry — Station at Atlantic, Iowa. The Picking Room This particular department is fast becoming a source of grief and worry to the poultryman, owing to the scarcity of skilled and experienced labor, and the time is rapidly approaching when other means besides depending on transient pickers, will have to be em- ployed. The only solution of this problem, that we can see, is to train local talent in this work. The best plan is to employ a suffi- cient number of experienced killers, or ''roughers" who are expert bleeders, and then have the chickens finished up by boys or woman tippers. We are of the opinion, that this method or combination turns out the best work, and w^e look for it to be adopted generally in years to come. The PICKING ROOAl should be well lighted and it should be kept as sanitary as possible. The accompanying views or cuts show PICKING ROOM EQUIPMENT that is really worth while, and which should be in every poultry house. Great strides have been made in the dressing of poultry, but there still remains considerable room for improvement. Numerous books have been written and countless bulletins issued on "The Detrimental Effects of Poor or Improper Bleeding of Poultry." but it seems like an instructor is necessary to correct this evil, so we have made a chart which shows the location of the veins in the neck and head, and how to reach them with the knife and this chart will be found in the back of this book. AVe would advise, having it 38 framed and hung in the PICKING ROOM for educational pur- poses. The PICKING SHACKLE and BLOOD CUP have assisted wonderfully in improving the appearance of dressed poultry because the SHACKLE throws the hips out, which eliminates much of the rubbing and "barking" of the skin and the BLOOD CUP not only permits a free flow of blood, but it prevents the bird from be- coming "Blood Spotted," which is very unsightly and which can hardly be removed after it has dried. The saving of the feathers is quite an item and a little energy spent in this direction, occasionally, would not be amiss. While chicken wing, and tail, feathers bring out little more than the freight they should be saved because it can be done at no expense to you and they would possiblv come in handy, making up tonnage when ready to ship. A modern poultry plant never lays a dressed chicken down on its side until it is cooled and ready for the box in the packing room ; they keep them clean and, in order to do this, they use a receiving RACK in the PICKING ROOM, which is shown in the accompany- ing cut. The picker brings his poultry up and hangs it on this RACK for the inspector's approval; the chickens are hanging head downward and, of course are bleeding out all of the time. AVhile the inspector gives the picker the usual tally of credit — a boy is re- moving the blood clot in the mouth. He also removes the crop and wraps the head in paper and the poultry is ready for the COOLING RACK and the COOLING ROOM. COOLING ROOM EQUIPPED WITH COLLIS "ALL STEEL" COOLING RACKS. STATION AT CENTERVILLE, IOWA. THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. The Cooling Room Packers of poultry ha\e differed somewhat on the question of cooling' ponltr}-. and the time was, when the general idea prevailed that the animal heat should be driven out slowl}'. A great many packers deemed it a(l\isa1)le to use a Pre-Cooling Room, at a tem- l^erature of from 50 to 60 degrees h'ahrenheit, for fresh killed ponl- tr}' to remain in for a few hours, immediate!)' after killing, but this practice is now being done away w ith largely and. the generally con- tention to-day is, that the animal heat should be extracted as quick- 1}- as possible. This is now being accom])lished by having two sep- arate, low temperature rooms — one with a temperature of from 30 to 40 degrees, which receives the fresh killed poultry, and where it is kept for from 3 to 4 hours before it is placed in the Cooling Room Proper, which is steadily maintained at a temperature of from 30 to 3)2 degrees Fahrenheit for over-night cooling. This is still pre-cool- ing in a sense, but it is not being done with the idea of slow heat ex- traction ; the object being to maintain a uniform temperature in the regular cooling room, which would be impossible if warm fresh killed poultry were run in direct, as each truck load ^vould raise the temperature of the room, and likewise, the temperature of the cooled, or partly cooled birds — which feature is decidedly objection- able. The Cooling Rooms should be kept clean and dry and, if ne- cessary, electric fans should be used to promote circulation. The Steel Cooling Rack is unquestionably the best contriA-ance to cool dressed poultry on. because the birds not only do not touch each other, but the construction of these Racks permits the perfect circu- lation of air through the room, ^^'hen in doubt as to wdiether the poultry is thoroughly cooled — take the inside temperature before packing; select a large bird from the top bar of the cooling rack nearest the in-coming door and if it shows a temperature of less than 34 degrees you are safe in packing them unless your haul is a long one. One must be exceedingly careful if the inside temper- atures are higdier than 34 degrees Fahrenheit and our advice would be. not to take any chances on shipping dressed poultry that is not properly cooled, and we would say — hold the car a day longer to be sure that the stock is in good condition in order to avoid it being "struck green" upon arrival at destination. 40 THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. MODEL PACKING ROOM AT CENTERVILLE, IOWA. Grading and Packing The secret of successful and profitable sales, of box-packed, dressed poultry does not lie so much in the territory from which it is shipped as it does in the manner that it is graded and packed. It matters not how well fed or how nice it is dressed and cooled; if it is not graded properly, all of the other effects are lost. While poul- try is sold according to size, quality, condition, etc., APPEAR- ANCE is what really counts and, unless one displays his wares in a manner that is pleasing to the eye, his sales from a high market standpoint will be mediocre. A visit to the Eastern Markets proves to us that much of the poor showing made by some packers can be attributed to the boxes they pack in, and to the lack of grading for color. Nothing is more unsightly to the buyer and salesman, than twelve chickens in a box that is absolutely too large or too small for that class or weight. I^o get the proper effect, one should have a wide variation of classes as to weight per dozen birds, and snug fit- ting boxes for each weight or class. This would improve some packs of poultry to a wonderful extent and it would aid materially in the product bringing higher market returns. Irrespective of everything else the Grader should have a good eye for COLOR — for THE COLLIS COMPANY, CLINTON, IOWA. instance, ^■ou have no doubt noticed in opening l)oxes of poultry that tliere wonkl be probal)ly three \nri\s with a good hght color and three with a slightly yellower color in the to]) layer of six birds and while thev were all of No. 1 quality and salalde as such, the appear- ance could have been improved by making a division of the two col- ors and putting six of one shade on the bottom and six of the other shade on top. Marks of distinction such as j^retty stamped mono- grams on the boxes, celluloid or metal tags, together with printed head wrappers and parchment paper assist to a great extent in es- tablishing a demand and read)- outlet for one's poultry. The whole proposition simmers down to simply this — the man down East wants poultry that he in turn can sell, so there you are, the better von pack it the better your sales will be. Be careful, when jDacking. of the bird that is just on the line between a No. 1 and a No. 2 and our advice in this case is this — when in doubt, throw it out. follow this rule alwavs. THIS POULTRY INSPECTING OR CHECKING RACK IS MADE WITH A COUPLE OF OUR COOLING RACK BARS AND HAS MADE GOOD IN ALL PLANTS WHERE USED. WE SELL EXTRA BARS FOR THIS PURPOSE. SUGGESTIONS FOR BOX SIZES AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR PACKING POULTRY Box Sizes and Specifications for Packing Poultry Inside Dimensions Thickness of ^umber Packing Instruct ions Box No. Lensth width Deplh Sides Tops & Bolloms Ends Cenlers Cleals Kind of Poultry WeishI of Each Bird Weljhl Per Dozen Birds 2 14 13/ 3/ Vs Vi H Chickens 1 lb. to 1 lb. 5 oz. 12 to 15 tb. 4 15 15 3/ 3/8 H % Chickens 1 lb. 6 oz. to 1 lb. 10 oz. 16 to 20 tb. 6 16 16 4/ /8 Vs H Chickens 1 lb. 11 oz. to 2 tb. 1 oz. 21 to 25 tb. 8 10 17 18 17 17/ 5 5/ /8 /8 /8 •= Chickens Chickens & Fowls Chickens 2 lb. 2 oz. to 2 tb. 2 lb. 9 oz. to 3 lb. 8 oz. 26 to 30 tb. 31 to 36 tb. 12 14 16 18 27/. 29/ 31/ 33 16 17 18/ 19 3/ 4 4/ 4/ /2 Vs /8 Vs /8 Vs H 5/8 /8 /8 5/8 /8 e o 1 & Fowls Chickens & Fowls Chickens & Fowls Chickens & Fowls 3 tb. 1 oz. to 3 tb. 3 tb. 10 oz. to 4 tb. 4 tb. 7 oz. to 5 tb. Over 5 lb 6 oz. 9 oz. 6 oz. 6 oz. 37 to 43 tb. 44 to 54 tb. 55 to 66 tb. Over 66 tb. 20 24 14/ 33/ /8 Vs /s Vs «< Fowls 2 tb. 9 oz. to 3 lb. 31 to 36 tb. 22 25/ 16 4 H 3/8 5/8 H Fowls 3 tb. 1 oz. to 3 tb. 9 oz. 37 to 45 tb. 24 27/ 16 4/ Vs Vs /8 H Fowls 3 tt). 10 oz. to 4 tb. 6 oz. 44 to 54 tb. 26 30/ 17 4/ 'A /8 5/8 H Fowls 4 tb. 7 oz. to 5 tb. 6 oz. 55 to 66 lb. 28 32 18 4/ 5/ Fowls Over 5 tb 6 oz. Over 66 fb. 30 32 26 6 / 3/8 H Vs 5/8x2 Y. T. Turks. Under 1 1 tb. 32 32 27 7 'A 3/8 H y& /8x2 Y. T. Turks. 11 to IS tb. 34 33 28 8 'A 3/8 n ■/ 5^x2 Y. T. Turks. Over 15 tb. 36 38 24 6 / H H /8 ^x2 Hen Turks. Under 11 lb. This box also v sed for Geese [and Capons. 38 32 25 7 / H H 5/8 5/8x2 Hen Turks. 11 to 15 tb. 40 30 19 4 / H %■ 5/8 Ducks Under 5 tb. 42 31-. i 19/ 4/ / H y& Vs Ducks Over 5 tb. 44 12 12 5 ■/ H Ya Sciuabs 5, 6 or 7 tb., per dozen. 46 1-*; . 12 5'^j /s H Ys Sciuabs 8 or 9 tb., per dozen. 48 '^ 12 6 ^8 H Vs Squabs 10 or 12 lb., per dozen. L HEAD WRAPPERS. 40tb., No. 1 natural fibre paper (nianila.) sizes — Broilers — Il./x5/x6/. Roasting Chix., and fowls— 14/x7x7'/. Old Cocks and Light Young Toiu Turkeys. Hen Turkeys — 17/x8/x9/. Old Tom Tur- keys— 20.x9/x9/. Box No. Box Lininiis 12 13/x24— lS/xl4 14 14/.X26— 16/xl4 16 15/x28— 18/X14 18 16/x29— 18/xl4 20 ll./x24— 14/xl4 22 12/x24— 15j4xl4 24 13/x25— 15j4xl4 26 15 x26— 1634x14 28 I.T.i^xiS— 17.vixI4 30 15j4x38— 25}^xl8 32 15-/x30— 26/xl8 34 16/.X42— 27/xl8 36 18>4x36— 23/xl8 38 15j4x38— 24/xl8 40 14j4x28— 18/xl4 42 15/x2&— 19 xl4 Pack Old Cocks and all cull Poultry in Paper Lined Bar- rels, willi ]>aper between layers of birds. ALLEN PRINTI NG COMP AN Y C LI NTON IOWA LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 002 838 810 fi