The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-09-15
now TO PREPARE
F0R|POULTRY SHOW
Practical Bulletin is Being
Sent Out by County Agent
ii. Z. Smith.

Preparing for the Poultry Show"
Is the subject OF a practical bulletin
being sentsby H. L. Smith. county ag-
ricultural agent, to the various poul.
try breeders Of Marion county. The
bulletin follows: "
First OF all select two Of your mic.
est pullets and one of your incest
cockrels. 1t will be necessary for you
to give their toes, feet and shanks.
a good scrubbing with soap and wa.
ter SO they will be clean. II your
chickens are white II may be neces.
sary to give them a good washing all
over. To do this get three buckets OF.
soft water. The first one should be,
warm. the second and third may be
somewhat cooler. Carefully put the
pullet or cockerel into the first bucket
and with cake OF white soap gently
rub the feathers until they are we'll
lathered. You will soon see that when
the feathers become well soaked there
will be no danger OF breaking them.
Be sure to wash out all the dirt with
this soap, then put the fowl in the
second pail, after squeezing out all
the dirty water possible, and give 10
a thorough rinsing to remove all soap.
II not thoroughly rinsed the feathers
will not be fluffy when dry. To be
sure Of good job It will be neces.'
sary to give them another rinsing In
the third bucket OF water. Squeeze
out all the water you can, and with a
coarse towel wipe them off, always
rubbing In the same direction as the
feathers grow. Now they should be
placed in clean coop or box with
plenty OF clean straw and put in u
warm room until they are dry.
at will be necessary for each one
OF you to have coop in which you
will be able to not only ship or take
your trio to the show, but also one
in which they can be taken care OF
when on exhibition. To do this It will
be necessary to have regard for the
following points:
81. Construct the coop of light
weight material. both for ease in
handling and to reduce express
charges.
80. Make the coop with an open
front SO the trio will show up well
and can be easily seen.
"3. Provide suitable door so the
birds may be easily taken out and
put back by the poultry Judge.
20. Place a drinking dish in the
coop. Use a fat tin dish and attach
Il TO the frcnt side.
Your coop should be about %
inches wide. 80 inches long and 90
inches high. Do not use material
over half inch thick. An empty she's
case such as may be found at almost
any store will furnish the foundation
work. This can be torn apart a1d
remodeled into an excellent coop.
"The bottom OF the coop must be
tight so the birds will not get their
toes or feet injured in shipping. A
tight bottom will also keep the litter
In the coop and thereby make 1t
cleaner. The front may easily he
made OF large mesh poultry wire net.
ting or OF wooden or wire spindles
placed perpendicularly about two
inches apart. II wires are used for
the front 1t will be necessary to use
about two strands OF wire running
across horizontally to stiffen or hold
the vertical wires in position. The
top can be made of wire the same as
the front.
when You put your trio In the
coop to take or send to the show be
sure to put in the coop some fine lit
ter, either chatf or fine straw. This
will help to keep them clean. Put
your name and address on tag and
fasten It to the coop so that It can.
not be lost"