The grading for quality depends on the general shape of the chicken, the plumpness or covering of meat, the neatness of picking, the color of skin and legs, and the appearance of the feet and head, which latter points indicate the age and condition of health.  The culls consist of deformed and scrawny chickens.  The seconds are poor in flesh, or they may be, in the case of hens, unsightly from overfatness.  They are packed in barrels and go to the cheapest trade.  Those carcasses slightly bruised or torn in dressing also go in this class.  Although a preference is generally stated for yellow-skinned poultry, the white-skinned birds, if equal in other points, are not underranked in this score.  The skin color that is decidedly objectionable is the purplish tinge, which is a sign of diseased stock.  Black pin-feathers and dark-colored legs are a source of objection.  Especially is this true with young birds which show the pin-feathers.  Feathered legs are slightly more objectionable than smooth legs.  Small combs and the absence of spurs give better appearance to the carcass.

The following is the nomenclature and corresponding weights of the farm marketed chickens.  In each class there will be seconds and culls.  The seconds of each group are kept separate, but not graded so strictly or perhaps not graded at all for size.  The culls are packed in barrels and all kinds of chickens from fryers to old roosters here sojourn together until they reach their final destination, as potted chicken or chicken soup.

Broilers—­Packed in two weights. 1st:  Less than two pounds; 2d:  between 2 and 2-1/2 pounds.

Chickens—­Packed in three weights. 1st:  between 2-1/2 and 3 pounds; 2d:  between 3 and 3-1/2 pounds; 3d:  between 3-1/2 and 4 pounds.

Roasters—­Packed in two weights. 1st:  between 4 and 5 pounds; 2d:  above 5 pounds.

Stag Roosters—­Cockerels, showing spurs and hard blue meat, packed in two weights. 1st:  under 4 pounds; 2d:  above 4 pounds.

Fowls, are hens.  They are packed in three sizes. 1st:  under 3-1/4 pounds; 2d:  between 3-1/4 and 4-1/2 pounds; 3d:  over 4-1/2 pounds.

Old Roosters—­Packed in barrels.  One grade only.

After packing, chickens may be shipped to market immediately, or they may be frozen and stored in the local plant.  Shipments of any importance are made in refrigerator cars.

The poultry that is shipped to the final market alive is gradually diminishing in quantity, as poultry killing plants are built up throughout the country.  The live poultry shipments are chiefly made in the Live Poultry Transportation Cars.  The following figures give the number of such cars that moved out of the States named in a recent year: 

Iowa            645     Tennessee        169
Missouri        630     Michigan         165
Illinois        624     S. Dakota        103
Kentucky        472     Oklahoma         101
Nebraska        395     Indiana          100
Kansas          370     Wisconsin         93
Minnesota       174     Texas             91
Ohio            173     Arkansas          47

The most of this live poultry goes to New York and other eastern cities and is consumed largely by the Hebrew trade.