The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-11-30
TREASURE STATE FARM AND LIVESTOCK
PREPARING BIRDS FOR SHOW

course, knows the perfection points
of his breed as recognized by poultry
| judges. The "Standard of Perfec-
ton" 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,
wattles, 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 the neck, hackle, back and
tail are the same in color, marking
and carriage; also the breast and
wings. These rules apply even
where individual male or female
birds are selected for exhibition.
The fancier should not be too criti-
cal. Experience proves that few
birds are absolutely perfect. One Of
the chief characteristics of breeding
| is variation, and this 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
competing pens. One may therefore
win where birds are known not to be
up to standard in every particular.
Birds with glazing 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.
Poor Selections Fatal.
! A bad selection is fatal to prize
winning. Likewise delay in getting
the fowls together may Danish the
fancier's hopes of success. Where
birds unaccustomed to each other
are matched, this should be done at
least ten days before the time of ex-
hibition. The object is to have the
birds familiar with each other Some
fowls will try to 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 we'll kill ones hopes
of winning prize.
A good practice in matching is as
follows: About week or 10 days
before the pen is to be shipped, pre-
pare a nice dry room for the fowls.
Cover the floor thickly with clean
straw. Place the birds in the room
and throw a small quantity of wheat
or scratch feed into the litter. The
birds should be allowed to get hun
CRY 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 trou-
BILE. The clean, dry straw helps them
to put on a glossy appearance. To
give bright red color to the comb
and wattles, little sulphate of iron
may be dissolved in the drinking wa
ter.
Washing Sometimes Necessary.
Where white fowls, or those with
considerable white in their plumage,
are shown, the natural cleaning pro-
cess described is not always suffi-
Gent Sometimes it is necessary to
wash the birds day Or two before
they are shipped.
| Take a fine sponge, moisten it,
and soap it thoroughly with a mild
soap, one that does not contain too
much free alkali. Smooth down ev
cry feather repeatedly in order to
clean the feathers without ruffling
them. Repeat the process Win Wa
ter only until all the soap has been
removed. Lastly, smooth the feath-
ers with soft cloth. Soda should
not be used in the water, as it gives
the feathers yellow appearance.
Let the birds remain in a warm,
dry room, we'll Uttered with clean
straw. If they have had an extensive
grass run so much the better. With
! such a run even white fowls may re-
quire no washing except their feet
and legs, and perhaps their comb and
| wattles.
Linseed Adds Luster.
Some fanciers feed linseed for a
week before exhibition. Its use in
creases the secretion of Oil and adds
luster to the plumage. Fowls gen
orally refuse the seed whole, so a
good method of feeding it is to add
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
l I.