Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-24
WATCH MOU[T|NG
Of SHOW FOWLS
Birds Intended for Exhibition
Should Be Given Extra Care
When Feathers Go.
BY OTTO E. HACHMAN.

The handling of show birds during
the melting period is an important
problem. You can make or mar pro-
spective winner at this time. Care
less handling will often damage the
plumage to such an extent as to put
the bird out of the running.
The first step is to separate the males
from the females. This should be done
just as soon as the breeding season
is over, and the breeding season should
not be prolonged.
The male birds should be put in sep
arate Enclosures with ample room for
exercise Do not pen them up in small
box coops and expect them to retain
their health and Vigor, and to mott out
properly Have comfortable place
for them to roost at night-a place that
is clean, cool and we'll ventilated. Have
birds can get out on the ground and
derive the necessary exercise.
Do not overlook the matter of sup
plying them with green food. Unless
the runs are located on sod ground
green food must be provided. Lettuce
and other green garden stuff can be had
at this time and will do them good.
Rape is also an excellent green food.
The females will not need to be sep
They must have ample room in their
roosting quarters. Overcrowding them
while on the rOoSt at night viii cause
them to become Overheated and TN
comfortable. And colds are liable to
result when the overheated hens rush
out into the cool morning air.
While l stated above that the fe-
males can all be yarded together, at
certain times we find it best to keep
some of the hens separate. Having
been apart all season they naturally
are quarrelsome when thrown together
The time that is desired for the birds
to begin or complete their mott should
be governed by the date of the show in
which the birds are to be entered. The
fall fairs are the first shows on the list,
and as these usually begin in August
and September, it will be far too early
to expect the birds to be through mott
ing by that time. Therefore they will
have to be entered before mott has af
fected them to a great extent And
when this is the case, it is desirable
to prevent the fowls from molting too
SOON. This can be done by keeping up
heavy feeding and caring for them as
usual While on the other hand if the
birds are to be entered in the early
winter shows their mott will neCesSar-
lily have to be hurried along, so as to
best of Show condition.
If they seem inclined to be backward
in dropping the old coat of feathers.
cut down the rations considerably Feed
very little grain for about two weeks
but give them all the green food they
want. of course, they will get a trifle
thin and eggs will be few but this is
just what we desire.
Egg laying and melting both are a
strain on the fowls system, and we can
not have the hens carry on both at the
same time without harmful results We
should discourage egg production at
this time. After giving them short
rations for two weeks they should be
started on full feeds again. This should
be done gradually DO not start them
abruptly on full feeds.
Provide them with nuurishing and
easily assimilated food A good soft
mash should he fed once a day. Avoid
food of stimulating nature. as eggs
are not desired at this time, Also a
food of "A heating. fattening nature.
such as whole or ground corn. We do
not want fat AT the expense Of good
plumagg Lin,ced meal is always add
ed a. On, mash This is good feath-
,r former and makes better plumaEe.
About once q week. ! favor giving the
fook a mild dose OF Epson salts. The
Standard.