The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-01-06

birds winch tney Will WISH "
exhibit at the fairs this fall,
but they do not know what to do to
have them make the best possible ap-
pearance. The professional fanciers
and those who go in for show stock
on a grand scale have methods of their
own for getting show stock up in
shape and keeping them so. but l am
| writing this for farmers who wish to
| exhibit stock which they intend using
| as breeders later on and do not care
to employ methods that will tend to
detract from their future vigor and
hardness as breeding stock.
| First of all you want them in good
health and flesh, and if you have
week or so to prepare in so much the
better If you wish to pen them away
from other fowls, that is a good plan,
provided you have time to attend to
them right. Prepare a dry, clean
roosting place with plenty of good
fresh air, but avoid draughts. Have
nice run for day time with grass If
possible Have a supply of clean. fresh
water and sharp grit so their digestion
may be of the best. If your birds
seem to be in robust health, don't dose
some food and drink. If the birds are
| thin in flesh, feed quite literally, but
don't get them overfat-Just plump
and well filled out. Feed little sun
flower seed to give luster to the plum
age, unless the fowls are white. Some
claim yellow corn gives a creamy tint
to white birds. If you are afraid Of
this, feed white corn and other grains.
Personally I do not believe the yellow
corn makes Il particle of difference.
1 think perhaps any all-corn diet
would affect the color somewhat, as it
is too rich for an exclusive diet.
One of the first things to be looked
after, once you have chosen the spec
| linens you wish to show, it to see that
they are free from vermine, scales, par
asites, etc. No fowl is fit to show that
is infested with any of these things.
Nor can they be gotten in the pink of
condition while harboring parasites of
any kind. If you have week or so
for preparation it will be best to dip
fbn hirScs in, col ,Ifin lii 4
such as is usually used for this pur-
pose. Dip carefully and thoroughly.
But if your time is short you had best |
not dip, for it will be impossible to
get the fowls, especially white ones or
those having white in their plumage, |
cleaned up nicely in time for the show. /
If there are but few birds the best !
way to rid them of lice is as follows: |
Carefully oil the head about the eyes, |
kerosene, getting well down to the !
skin and covering the whole head
and down on the neck d couple of
inches. Then take an old blanket or
thick cloth and sprinkle with one of /
the advertised lice killers. If you use
a liquid preparation you will need a |
thin clean cloth between the fowl and /
the blanket to avoid soiling the plum
age. Thoroughly sprinkle about a
it closely about the fowl, having
enough thickness of the blanket to |
keep the fumes closely confined about |
the body of the fowl.
The head of the fowl is to be left
protruding from the blanket to avoid |
smothering. else the fumes will Kill
the fowl as we'll as the lice. Tie the
legs and you will have no difficulty
in keeping the blanket about the bird.
an hour When the blanket is re
moved the lice, if there are any, will
be seen on the outside of the plum
age dead, and may be busted off. A
good insect powder may be busted in
to the feathers and the fowl closely
wrapped in the same way with good
effect. While being prepared the fowls
should be handled gently and kindly
so they will have confidence in hu-
man company and should also be got
ten accustomed to the presence of
strangers. Then when they go to the
show room thew will show off with
pride, and not crouch back in a cor
ner, too scared to appear at their best.
Just the day before you wish to car
ry them off to the fair they should be
washed, if at all soiIed. To- do this
have plenty of clean, hot water and
prepare a tub Of this with good mild 1
soap. Stand the bird in the tub and l
wash him just as you would your
own head of hair. When clean, rinse
in cIoop soft warm water using pIpn-