The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1911-11-10
PREPARING FOWLS FOR SHOWS


shows hold out opportunities to
amateur breeders few words about
properly preparing and condition
ing the prospective prize winners
will not be out of place at this time.
The first thing to do is to pick
out the most promising specimens,
going over the whole flock, and
place them in a separate pen. Then
60 over them all again and Gull out
those fowls that are off somewhat in
color, shape, color of eyes, lobes,
etc. Repeat the culling process un-
til you get down to the number you
intend to exhibit. Now place them
IN separate coops so they can be
properly trained and conditioned.
Fowls properly trained and accus-
toned to handling will show up to
better advantage, and often will
score a few points higher, than those
not so prepared for showing.
Weigh the fowls to ascertain whether
they are up to the weights required
blythe standard. If not, they must
be fed in such manner as to take
on the required weight in time for
the show. If only a short time re-
mains in which to bring them up
to the required weight they may be
given sweetened milk to advantage.
Wet mash, consisting Of about two
parts corn meal and two parts bran
and middings should be fed often.
Feed. this in crumbly state and
not as thin slop. Animal green
or green cut bone should also be
given but in moderation. Too
much will cause looseness of the
bowels. Animal food will add color
to the comb.
Handle the fowls often-several
times a day-while training them.
This handling and training should
be commenced few weeks before
exhibiting. Take stick about two
feet long and go over each fowl with
this making it pose so as to show
its shape to best advantage. Ex-
anime the legs carefully. If they
show any tendancy to roughness
rub them thoroughly with vaseline.
After applying this a few times the
scales should become soft and loose
ones can then be rubbed off. Re-
move all dirt from beneath scales
with toothpick.
The fowls should, if of light
colored variety, be washed thorough
ly the day before sending to the
show. For this washing three tubs
OF water are required. The first
should be comfortably warm, the
second slightly cooler and the third
a little cooler than the second. In
to this third or last tub place about
as much blueing as is used in an
ordinary wash. Into the first tub
shave cake of pure CASTLE soap.
Two persons are needed to do
the work. Have the assistant hold
the fowl on its side in the tub Of
warm water while you ope n the
feathers and rub in the soap and
water. Rub the lather we'll into
the feathers and always rub the
way the web Of the feather runs, to
prevent the feathers from becoming
broken. After it has been careful
ly washed remove fowl to the Sec
ond tub and rinse thoroughly. Be
sure to remove every particle of
soap from the feathers; othsrwise
they will cling together when dry
instead of fluffing out as they should.
When thoroughly rinsed. place fowl
in the blueing water and rinse again,
Remove from tub and press all the
water possible from the feathers.
Then rub gently with soft towel
or cloth, rubbing the right way of
the feathers.
After a thorough rubbing place
the fowl in coop well Uttered with
clean strawand set it beside hot
stove-just close enough to be COM
Portable. As the feathers dry grad
ually pull the coop back from the
stove. To give fluffiness to the
feathers lift them up often and fan