The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-08-08
Preparing Chickens for the
Poultry Show

Preparing Chickens for the
Poultry Show
GAS the judges at poultry SHOWS
award premiums on appearance OF tne
fowls on judging day." says Professor
Lunn of the Poultry department OF the
Oregon Agricultural college, it is nee
essary that the boy or girl VINO Is
going to exhibit poultry at the county
or and state fairs not only give them
the best of care in getting them
ready, but also in coping and snip
ping them. AS the final wind up OF
the boys and girls poultry raising
contest is at hand, in short time
these birds will be shipped to compete
for prizes. The appearance of their
plumage and vigor upon the home
farm will not be factor. The judge
will not consider the care spent upon
them nor make allowances for distance
travelled.
"Here are few points which may
mean the winning of premium other.
wise lost. Every boy and girl should
send for premium list of the show
where the birds are to be exhibited,
decide what premiums are to be tried
for, then select and prepare the birds
accordingly. The more nearly mature
the fowls are the better. They should
have maximum strength and vigor.
They should be in good flesh and
healthy, showing no signs of disease,
especially scaly leg.
"In preparing fowls for the show it
is necessary to wash the white colored
ones about four days before the birds
are shipped. Use three tubs. The
first should be half full of warm
water, the second tub of lukewarm
water, and the last tub with water
from which the chill has been re-
moved. Put the fowl into the first
tub and hold it under the water until
the plumage is soaked. The head may
be held under moment or two. Place
the fowl on clean table, thoroughly
soap with a good white soap. The
plumage is now ready to be scrubbed,
which is done gently with a small
brush, in the direction the feathers
grow. The bird is then rinsed in the
second tub, removing all the soap so
that the feathers will web out properly.
The legs should be scrubbed and if
necessary the dirt under the scales re-
moved with toothpick.
1.-THE third tub is used for the final
rinsing. If blueing is used in this
water there should be not too much of
it and it must be thoroughly mixed
with the water or it will stain the
plumage. The feathers are dried by
hand, rubbed with towels, and the
bird placed in a well-heated room until
thoroughly dried. It should then be
placed in a clean coop with four or five
inches of chaff on the floor so that the
feathers will not be soiled. Dark col
ored birds may have their plumage
rubbed with a silk handkerchief and
their legs washed as above. Now
train them to handling and to exhibi-
ton coops. Stroke and speak to them,
as this will make them pose better
when the Judge is looking them over.
If dull, the comb and wattles may be
rubbed with an equal mixture of sweet
oil and alcohol.
"In shipping, the coops should be
large enough to give the fowl ample
room, about thirty inches for the
tallest birds, grading down to a foot
for the tiniest bantams. The comb
should never touch the top Of the coop.
The width should be such that the
plumage will not be cramped. A sin
gle coop should be provided for each
male, but females may be placed two
or three together. A little grain may
be sprinkled in the chat, but it is not
best to put drinking water in the coop.
A few vegetables or apples will an.
swer the place of water very well and
will not soil the plumage. It is not
necessary to put grit or other food
than grain in the COOP"