Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-08-13
MAKING UP" CHICKENS FOR
A SHOW TAKES GREAT SKILL
Is Everything to Bird
Which Is Going to He Exhibited
At Show

The night Of the contest no pains
are spared by the contestants in a
beauty show to make themselves at
tractive; and Mrs. Biddy is no excep-
ton to the rule, nor is Mr.. Biddy, for
that matter. They want to look
their best when the days Of poultry
shows draw near. All kinds Of beauty
aids are given them by their owner
to put gloss on their feathers and to
manicure their bills and feet.
Exhibiting their poultry at thre
close of the year is part Of the work
Of the boys and girls of the poultry
clubs organized by the United States
Department of Agriculture and the
State Colleges. Some worth while
suggestions on how to prepare the
birds for exhibition purposes are
made by poultry specialists Of the
department. After the individual
birds have been selected (care being
taken that they are as near the Ameri-
can standard of perfection as pos
sible) the following care should he
given, they say:
Remove the birds selected from
the rest of the flock and place
each bird in an exhibition coop for
at least portion of each day. Fowls
SO confined will become accustomed
to the coop end by handling them
that is, removing them from the
coop each day-they will become
tame. In handling the birds move
quietly and handle them gently 50
as not to brighten them.
All white varieties Of fouls, such
as the White Leghorns, White Ply
mouth Rocks, ETC., and those having
considerable white plumage, such as
Columbian Plymouth Rocks and
Light Brahmas, and even the Buff
varieties, should be washed in order
to make the best possible showing
when exhibited. Dark-colored fowls.
such as Rhode Island Reds. Barred
Plymouth Rocks, etc., need not be
washed unless their plumage is con-
siderably soiled. The head, feet. and
shanks, however. Of all varieties
should be properly cleaned as de-
scribed below.
Wash the birds in a room or build
ing that ia free from drafts and where
the temperature is from 70 degrees
to 80 degrees. The washing should
be done in the morning so that the
birds will have SUFFICIENT time to dry
OF completely before night.
Each tub should contain enough
water to cover the body of the bird
when immersed. II possible to OBJ
tain it, clean rainwater should be
used, as hard water will not produce
as satisfactory results as soft water.
Any pure white toilet soap may be
used for washing. The water in the
first two tubs should be heated to
a temperature that will be com1or-
table to the hand, while the water III
the third and fourth tubs may De
slightly cooler. Before beginning to
wash the fowl, soap the water IN the
first tub we'll so that there Will be
plenty of suds floating on the surface;
next, proceed to wash the face, comb,
wattles, shanks, and feet OF the FOWL
by scrubbing these parts with a small
nail brush and plenty OF soap anu
water. After this is done, immerse
the bird in the tub. Before actually
applying any Of the soap to the FOWL
be sure to see that the water has thor
oughly penetrated all parts OF the
plumage so that the bird is soaked
to the skin. Next. apply the soap by
working up a good lather through all
parts of the plumage Of the fowl with