The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1909-01-21
EXHIBITION POULTRY.
How to Place Birds In Condition for
Show Room.


Show Room.
The course to be pursued in condi-
tioning any kind of fowls for the show
room Is about the same. In the case of
turkeys, 1t ia not well to. confine the
birds closely as turkeys soon go on
their feed when confined In close quar-
tiers.
keys Is to feed the whole flock as
much as the birds will eat. in order to
promote rapid growth and great
weight. Turkeys Of any given variety
are much alike and very often the
Judge must make his final choice from
the weight after selecting those OF best
shapef and color. In the case of Buff
turkeys, the exhibitor must be careful
about Standard cOlOrs as 1t is in color
that turkeys are deficient as rule,
nearly every turkey being of good
shape AS the whole flock must be
fed together, the actual selection of
the specimens to show may be de-
ferred until 1t Is time to coop the
birds for the show. II the birds can
be induced to sleep in house where
they may be caught and tanned to some
extent it Is much better, as ragged
feathers may be pulled out six weeks
before the show opens and by the time
the birds are sent to the show room
the feather will have grown out again.
Observe that the standard requires
that every feather of a Buff turkey
shall be buff, although 1t is allowable
that the wings shall show a very light
buff in the primaries. Several times
within the last year we have found
Buff turkeys on exhibition in which
the primaries were white or partly
white No bird with this defect should
be shown. 1t is not Disqualified
ton 1t is a defect that is counted
against bird of this variety.
Health, an appearance of vigor,
strong shanks and perfect plumage go
farther IN judging turkeys than is the
case With SOther varieties of fowls and
all tEese should be looked to in select
ing 81 ecimens for the show room
In, conditioning fowls for the show
In, the birds which are to be shown
Mould be taken in hand several weeks
before the show season begins. 1t is
best to study the Standard very care
fully and go over the birds to be shown
with copy of the Standard in hand,
carefully reading every paragraph and
comparing the fowls with the descrip-
ton.
1t is best to select about half dozen
of the most promising fowls and put
them in room by themselves and be-
gin to handle them SO they will become
accustomed to this. Go about this
work very carefully, moving gently
and making no quick grabs or sudden
moves when trying to take lot of
fowls for show purposes. Pick them
up as carefully as possible and stroke
them gently every time you go into the
room where they are. Carry with you
some tidbit of which they are fond,
such as bit OF apple or little raw
meat, and make them pick 1t out of
your hand or drop it very close to
your feet and let them learn to pick 1t
up. Gradually accustom them to your
presence and soon one or more will
become so tame that they will allow
you to pick them up withou struggling.
After this 1t becomes easy as the 9TH
ers will soon become tame and fam
liar
Feed the fowls which are being con-
ditioned in such way that they will
become heavy and hard to the sense of
touch, rather than soft and flabby like
a cushion.
1t is very easy to feed fowls in con-
f1nement in such manner that they
will become so fat they will handle
like a cushion and the judge does not
like this.
Feed wheat, meat feed and green
stuff, or raw vegetables chopped up
Give but little corn, although some
corn should be given to them every
day. Feed regularly and plentifully
but for all clean-legged varieties feed
grain in clean straw on the floor sc
they must scratch it out. The straw
should be renewed every two or three
days and it should be perfectly dry all
the time. This will give smOOthness
and polish to the shanks which will
add to their chances of making good
impression on the judge.
If Asiatic varieties are being con.
ditioned, the case is different. 1t Is an
object to preserve the feathers on the
legs and the floor should have only 8
very light covering of chaff or short
straw and the grain should be feed In
troughs with Slated tops SO the fowls
must eat from the trough.
Supply plenty of pure water all the
time and keep grit and charcoal In
box in the house where the birds are
kept, so they can have constant sup
ply. Keep the house absolutely clean
and use insect powder or other lice
killer to keep out insects of all kinds
III LIQUID lice-killer is used, be care
flQ that it is not SO used that white
AoAAs can stain their feather with it.
Z Be careful to select birds with good
head points as the bird which has
good beak, eye, comb and earlobe
stands good chance to impress the
Judge favorably at the beginning.
Pluck cut broken or ragged feath-
ers at least six weeks before the show
begins, SO they will have time to grow
in again and be fresh and perfect when
the judge gets to the birds.
Very often in cOlOred fowls there
will be one or more small white feath'
ers in the plumage which have come II
white because of some accident, such
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