POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 208, 29 May 1926, Page 26

POULTRY NOTES

(By

“New Laid.”)

PREPARING FOR SHOWS

With the nenr approach of the show season, the following article, from “The Poultry Bulletin,” will bo of interest to those poultry-raisers who patronise the fancy side of the industry, and to whom tlie winning of a championship is of greater importance than heading the list of competitors in an egg-lay-ing competition:— The greatest factor in producing a winning string of birds ip perfect condition. There was a time, some years ago, when a bird of extra quality would win almost anywhere, but with the large number of high-class birds that are annually grown and exhibited nowadays, it is practically impossible to win an honourable prize at a show of any importance unless the birds are in perfect condition. The ignorance of amateurs and beginners as to what constitutes perfect condition is responsible for much of the “kicking” and dissatisfaction with , the judging and management of poultry

shows. For instance: A buys a cockerel from B for £*lo to exhibit at his local show. The cockerel arrives just before the show, fixed up and conditioned in every way. All the important feathers are in shape and any minor feathers that might have been off-colour are minus. The cockerel wins first prize and A is much I>leased with his investment, and probably buys more stock and eggs from B. When the next season rolls around A makes a large entry and mentally figures up how much the first and second money in all the classes would be, for, of course, < he will win. When the judge handles his fine bird that won the blue card the year before, he is likely to find one sickle feather gone, two or three wing feathers broken, and a number of offcoloured feathers l that should have been pulled. It does not take tho judge ten seconds to see that there are plenty of birds there that will beat that one, so he puts him back in tho coop and wastes no further time over him. For similar faults, his young stock probably does not fare much better. Our amateuij friend is furious; he has been robbed. The judge hardly glanced at his bird. Did not his bird win first last year, and did he not pay more money for his stock than the fellow who won? His stock must have been in good condition, as. ho had the most expensive hen-house in the vicinity, and paid the highest price for his grain, etc. Or, perhaps it is the breeder who sold him the stock who comes in for condemnation. A great many would-be exhibitors get no further than this second exhibit, and after spending considerable _ time and money, quit the fancy in disgust just when a little persistence would enable them to realise handsomely on their investment.

A bird to win must carry all of the wing and main tail feathers unbroken. The penalties attaching to these omissions are so heavy that in close competition a bird so Handicapped has little chance of the blue or red. Everyone should inform himself as to the exact weight that his particular variety should attain. A bird that was absolutely clean-legged last season may sprout a little down on shank or toes. Better use a microscope than let the judge find it. Don’t let the old hens get cverfat, as it makes them look older than they really are and unattractive. Perfect cleanliness is essential, especially in regard to white birds. This is one of the arts of the profession. There are only a few men who have ever been able to put white birds in the show room in the best possible condition. My first correct impression as to the proper way to wash anything came to me while in the army, where every man washed his own clothing. It did not take me long to find out that my handkerchiefs, etc., did not look “just like mother used to make them.” Upon investigation I found that to wash anything snow-white was quite a lot of labour. It required much soaping, boiling, rubbing, rinsing, blueing, etc. One simple wash in warm water didn’t do it, not by a good deal. Y'et that is tho way we are told to wash poultry for exhibition by tho powers who be. To wash a large string of birds for a show is quite a task. The way I prenar* i my white birds is as follows: About three weeks before the show, if I am to exhibit say twenty birds, I select about thirty and give them a good, thorough wash, using ivory soap and water about as warm as I can comfortably work in it. Use a brush on head and legs, and on any stained spots in the plumage. Rinse very thoroughly in a separate tub of water that is a little cooler, and then dip in a third tub of water that is slightly blued and that is just tepid. Do not have water too blue, as a bird that gets streaked up with blue is ruined for the time being. Do not wipe the bird with a cloth or try to squeeze out tho water with your hands. Simply drain for a moment or two over the tub; then put him in a cage with a bng in the bottom to catch the water.. Have the rooin very warm, and. if possible, keep the unwashed birds in a cooler room. The birds’ should be practically dry in a few hours. I put the wet birds near the stove and gradually work them back as they dry. Reduce the heat in the room gradually as the birds dry off. You can wash about five birds in a tub of water, then dump all three tubs and replace. Of co»r»e, soft water is much better for this purpose than hard water. It will take two men about all day to wash a string of this size, and it is not an easy job. After your thirty birds are all dried out you can go over the string and pick out the birds that did not improve with a wash. Some will irovo to be considerably whiter han others; some will probably have stained spots on the plumage that no amount of washing would remove. T select about twenty-four and take special care of them for another week, and then give them another wash. This second wash improves them fully as much as did the first one. After they are dry I make my final selection of the twenty that I shall show, and in about four days I give them another very thorough washing. After this third wash the birds certainly look beautiful. They are as spotless and white as a new shirt that has never been worn. The greatest care now is to place them in the judge’s hands without their being soiled in any way. Feed hard grain only from now on. Have someone continually in attendance. When von are ready to ship, provide a roomy shipping coon for each bird. This is important, i Take a eloth and brush out the inside ' of ench shipping coop before nutting tho ' bird in it. Put cheese cloth over tho j

coops to keep out dust, etc. Go on the same train with the birds. Do not allow anyone else to touch one of your birds while putting them in the coops at the show. Take a damp cloth and wipe out every, cage before putting your birds up. Have a lock on every cage when you are not present, as inexperienced people sometimes bother and hurt i the birds by taking them out of the pens. See that vour birds do not eat and drink enough to make them sick, as birds that have been in transit are generally very hungry, and as some attendants throw in twice as much food as a -bird should have at one meal, they are liable to gorge themselves, and, therefore, be sick and “dopey” for the rest of the week. Be on hand early tho morning the birds are to bo judged, and see if all your charges are looking their best. A little cleaning up at this eleventh hour sometimes saves a prize card for you.