Evening star., 1917-11-04
POULTRY YARD NOTES.

Chickens are seldom At for the show
room until they are six months OF age.
Pullets should be separated from the
cockerels as early as possible. SLIM
ulating food may be given to cockerels
longer than to puilets when the latter
are intended for exhibition. The
fancier and the utility poultry keeper
proceed along different lines after pull
let's have reached the age Of about six
months. The latter aims to get his
pullets laying as soon as possible.
while the former should delay laying
in order to put his birds in prime con-
dition for the showroom.
Basis of Good Condition.
For the preparation of pullets or hens
stimulating food should be reduced to
duction. When laying commences tho
pullet's growth practically stops.
Where chickens have been properly
fed after being hatched they will be in
ought to be without the need of stim-
ulating food. Cockerels may be fed
rich wet mash once or twice a day to
render them plump and ieshy: but this
if they were to be used for breeding
purposes after having been exhibited.
pullets aIe erfat ( W chickens
those few viii be likely to inherit low
vitality. Therefore. when buying
eggs from prize-winning fowls
knowledge of the condition of the lay
This is the conviction of the best
breeders and judges. as it bears on
fecundity and vitality.
pullets for the showroom is an amount
Of flesh consistent with perfect health
and clean. well appearing plumage. The
fancier must bring about these condt-
ribbons. For the plumage nothing is
better than a good grass run. fowls
always look clean and neat when SO
kept. They seldom need any further
preparation than that Of washing the
legs and feet.
Selecting the Show Birds.
Where one has a large number of
birds from which to choose. there
ought to be little difficulty in select
'ng show pens even for such shows as
New York and Chicago. The breeder.
IF course. knows the perfection points
If h P breed as reco ynized by poultry
Judges The standard of perfection
sets forth these points and one should
be familiar with them.
Let It first be seen that the color of
the legs, eyes and plumage are up to
standard. Next see that combs. wat
les. beak and general proportion are
alike, SO that the birds will be fairly
Uniform. Then let every part of each
bird be examined In detail. See that
he neck, hackle. back and tail are
the same in color, marking and car
-iage: also the breast and wings.
These rules apply even where indi-
viduaI male or female birds are Sc
'ected for exhibition.
The fancier should not be too crit
ical. Experience proves that Few bros
ire absolutely perfect. One of the
chief CHARACTERISTICS OF breeding Is
rariation, and this good Judge
knows. While the breeder may thus
ecognize some defects In his own
birds impartial judges have to wei IN
other bIemishes in birds of competing
pms One may therefore win where
standard in every particular Birds
with glaring defects should not be
exhibited A fancier should not hesf-
tate to show even IL the birds do not
always meet his own standard OF per-
fection.
Making Up Pen.
A bad selection is fatal to prize win
ming. Likewise delay in getting the
owls together may Danish the fanc-
iers hopes of success. Where birds un-
accustomed to each other are match
d, this should be done at least ten
lays before the time of exhibition. The
object is to have the birds familiar
with each other. Some fowls Will try
% dominate the pen. This is bad. 1t
may cause fighting on the road or
during the exhibition. causing damage
to the plumage, and perhaps serious
injuries Such a condition might well
xiii ones hopes of winning a prize.
A good practice In matching is as
follows: About week or ten days De-
fore the pen is to be shipped: prepare
a nice dry room for the fowls. Cover
the floor thickly with clean straw.
Place the birds in the room and throw
n small quantity of wheat or scratch
feed into the litter. The birds should
be allowed to get hungry before being
eager to scratch they will not know
they are strangers. Besides. in scratch
ing for the grain the birds clean
themselves without trouble. The clean
dry straw helps them to put on
glossy appearance. To give bright
red color to the comb and wattles.
little sulphate OF iron may be dis
solved in the drinking water.
Where white fowls. or those with
conside, able white in theih plumage.
are shown. the natural cleaning
process dserlbsd is not nscesssrs a.@sss su to
L.
wash the birds a day or two before
they are shipped.
Take a fine sponge. moisten IT, ana
soap it thoroughly with a mild soap.
one that does not contain too much
free alkali Smooth down every feather
repeatedly in order to clean the
feathers without ruftling them. Repeat
the process 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 it gives the feathers yellow ap-
pcarance.
Let the birds remain in warm dry
room well Uttered with clean straw.
If they have had an extensive grass
run so much the better. With such
q run even white fowls may REQUIRE
no washing except their feet and legs. /,
and perhaps their combs and wattles.
Gloss on the Feathers.
Some fanciers feed linseed for week |
before exhibition. Its use increases
the secretion of oil and adds luster to |
the plumage. Fowls generally refuse
the seed whole, SO a good method of
feeding it is to add a small quantity |
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