At the proper season of the year when breeders for the next season are to be selected, suitable birds for that purpose are picked out from the market lots as they are examined. In any lot of ducks there will be found some cripples. It is common practice to sort these out and group them together in a pen by themselves where they are held until they are in suitable condition for marketing. It is doubtful whether it pays to hold these cripples as they are hard to get in good condition and in many cases are probably kept and fed at a loss. Some ducklings will show twisted wings but as a rule they are thrifty and will fatten readily and be in good market condition. [Illustration: FIG. 39. Awaiting slaughter. The fattened ducklings are driven into these catching pens. (_Photograph from the Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture._)] [Illustration: FIG. 40. Carrying the ducklings from the catching pen to the killing place. (_Photograph from the Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture._)] _Killing._ As the ducklings suitable for killing are selected, 10 or 12 of them, depending upon the capacity of the killing room, are hung up by their feet, the head being fastened down by means of a hook or else weighted down by means of a blood can hung from a hook inserted through the bill. By means of a long, narrow bladed sharp knife the veins in the throat just beyond the skull are severed so as to cause free bleeding. The blood flows either into the blood can or into a trough above which the birds are hung. The birds are not stuck or brained unless it is desired to dry pick them nor are they as a rule stunned by hitting them on the head before bleeding. In some states, however, the law requires that all birds bled shall first be stunned in this manner. The bleeding of the ducks causes their death and they are allowed to hang until they are thoroughly bled out. They are then taken down, the blood washed off of their heads and placed on a table or on the floor convenient to the pickers, other ducks being hung in their places. [Illustration: FIG. 41. The ducks are hung by the feet and the veins in the neck cut from inside the mouth to cause free bleeding. (_Photograph from the Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture._)] [Illustration: FIG. 42. After the throat veins are cut, the ducks are allowed to hang until they are well bled out. The blood is caught in the trough below. (_Photograph from the Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture._)] [Illustration: FIG. 43. Ducks which have been bled, ready to have the blood washed from their heads and mouths before they are picked. (_Photograph from the Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture._)] [Illustration: FIG. 44. After they are bled and washed, the ducks are laid in the picking room ready for the pickers. (_Photograph from the Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture._)]