Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. women in general.

1611		Chapman May-Day I ii: If I do not bring her to thee, or, at the least, some special favour from her, as a feather from her fan, [...] to wear in thy hat, and so forth, then never trust my skill in poultry whilst thou liv’st again.
1669		W. Winstanley New Help To Discourse 133: Abraham man, are those we call Tom a Bedlams, terrible enemies to Poultery-ware, shifting his Wenches oftner than most people shift their linnen.
1903		A. Kleberg Slang Fables from Afar 12: Even the married Poultry of the fairer sex tried to quench the flames of his search-lights.
1910		‘Peter’ [O.V. Boob] 25 Aug. [synd. strip] Some class to the poultry down here. If my wife was’t due [etc].
1919		Van Loan ‘Excess Baggage’ Score by Innings (2004) 393: ‘You’re no judge of poultry, you big, fat dub! That ain’t no chicken – that’s a bird!’ ‘A bird of paradise!’ says Artie MacVicar.

2. prostitutes; thus poulter(er) n., a pimp.

1608		Dekker Honest Whore Pt 2 (1630) III ii: We haue Poulterers ware for your sweet bloods, as Done, Chickin, Ducke, Teale, Woodcocke, and so forth: and Butchers meat for the Cittizen: yet Muttons fall very bad this yeere.
1613		Middleton Chaste Maid in Cheapside IV i: ’Tis his living; As other trades thrive, butchers by selling flesh, Poulters by vending conies, or the like.
1614		Jonson Bartholomew Fair II v: I hope to see ’em plagu’d one day – poxed they are already, I am sure – with lean playhouse poultry, that has the bony rump sticking out like the ace of spades.
1632		N. Goodman Hollands Leaguer 68: A Poulterer [...] brought vp a yong or tender pullet.
1678		J. Ray Proverbs (2nd edn) 89: A Wencher. [...] He’ll run at sheep. He’ll commit poultry.

3. (Aus.) a batsman’s score of 0 in cricket, i.e. a ‘duck’.

1912

Sport (Adelaide) 30 Nov. 13/2: They Say [...] That The Chinese Barber shut his eyes and tried to hit a sixer, but he got poultry.