The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-04

and this a good judge knows. While the breeder may thus recognize some defects in his own birds, impartial judges have to weigh other blemishes in birds of com peting pens. One may therefore win where birds are known not to be up to standard in every particular. Birds with glaring defects should not be exhibited. A fancier should not hesitate to show even If the birds do not always meet his own standard of perfection.
 Making Up Pen
 A bad selection is fatal to prize Win ming. Likewise delay in getting the FOWLS together may banish the fancier's hopes of success Where birds unaccustomed to each other are matched, this should be done at least 10 days before the time of exhibition. The object is to have the birds familiar with each other. Some fowls will try to dominate the pen. This Is bad. It may cause fighting on the road or during the exhibition, causing damage to the plumage. and perhaps se- rious injuries. Such a condition might well kill ones hopes of winning prize.
 A good practice in matching is as fol- lows: About a week or 10 days before the pen is to be shipped, prepare nice dry room for the fowls. Cover the floor thickly with clean straw. Place the birds in the room and throw small quantity of wheat or scratch feed into the litter, The birds should be allowed to get hungry before being put together. and they will be so eager to scratch they will not know they are strangers Be- sides, in scratching for the grain the birds clean themselves without trouble. The clean dry straw helps them to put on a glossy appearance. To give q bright red color to the comb and wat ties, a little sulphate of iron may be dls- solved in the drinking water.
 Where white fowls, or those with considerable white in their plumage, are shown, the natural cleaning process de- scribed is not always sufficient. Some times1a. is necessary to wash the birds aaly or two before they are shipped.
 Take a fine sponge, moisten it, and soap it thoroughly with mild soap, one that does not contain too much free alkali. Smooth down every feather re- peatedly in order to clean the feathers without ruffling them. Repeat the pro- cess with water only until all the soap has been removed. Lastly, smooth the feathers with soft cloth. Soda should not be used in the water as 1t gives the feathers yellow appearance.
 Let the birds remain in a warm, dry room we'll filtered with clean straw. If they have had an extensive grass run so much the better. With such run even white fowls may require no wash ing except their feet and legs, and per- haps their comb and wattles.
 Gloss on the Feathers
 Some fanciers feed linseed for week before exhibition. It's use increases the secretion of oil and adds lustre to the plumage. Fowls generally refuse the seed whole, so good method of feeding 1t is to add a small quantity of linseed meal daily to a wet mash.
 Another plan, which also maintains the health of the fowls, Is to add to the evening grain ration for about two weeks equal parts of buckwheat and hempseed. These grains are readily eaten by the birds and usually only In proportion to their organic needs. These grains not only add gloss to the feathers. but they give bright color to the comb and wattles.
 Various forms and kinds of boxes or crates are used for shipping. Under all circumstances the top should be partly open for light and ventilation The crate should have plenty of clean straw. A small cabbage may be fastened to the side or top; also part of a loaf of dry bread. The fowls will eat the soft part and neither bread nor green food will become soiled. The crate or box should