PREPARING BIRDS FOR SHOW.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 437, 7 February 1912, Page 6

PREPARING BIRDS FOR SHOW.

If birds have not been frequently handled prior to preparing them for show, it will be wise to place them separately in pens in the open, to tone them down a little and get them used to the hand. So much can be done to the birds so confined by the aid of dainty morsels to render them safe tenants fjr the training pen. When ready for the training pens, take up the birds from the roosting houses or cockerel pens at night. Place them in the training pens, and leave them to their own resources till the following morning, but keep them out of sight of each other. When you visit them next day, let it be with a few bits of lean meat, and approach them gently, so that their confidence may not be shaken. Throw a bit of meat into' each pen, and stand by till you see the birds pick them up. You will be surprised to learn how shy some birds are. With such use gentleness and patience. When they have come to the front of the pens and taken up the meat, approach each pen in rotation, and, atfer gently opening the door a little, place your hand for a time on the bottom of each pen. After this operation feed the birds and leave them till the evening, when they should be visited again, and the same performances repeated. After a few days of the above treatment induce the birds to take bit soft meat from the hand* and when they will do this you may safely handle them, but don't thrust your hand into a pen suddenly, but move it along the floor gently; then iaise it, and endeavour to stroke the bird. When you can do this, take up the bird with both hands gently but firmly, and keep him raised off the floor for a few minutes. Set him down again, but keep one hand on his back, and with the other stroke him down; then remove the hand from his back, and if he rushes about take him up gain. He will soon get accustomed to ths handliing. Put him through this performance for a few days, after which you may try to stroke him along the back with a cane, and when he takes to this treatment kindly get him to stand erect, and show himself off to the best advantage. When you think that the birds are quite steady and fit for the show pen, next see to the grooming. Don't defer this operation till just before the show. It takes a fowl some time to get used to the wash tub. If the operation of washing is left till just before the show, it may so unnerve the bird as to upset all the previous good work in the training pen. If sponging or washing has to be done, let it be done a few times at intervals prior to the date of the show.