Deseret farmer. [volume], November 21, 1908, Page 10, Image 10

About Deseret farmer. [volume] (Provo, Utah) 1904-1912

Image provided by: University of Utah, Marriott Library

                
I I
in EX OMMMMAS XA&Ull Saturday, November ., igog.
I 1 POULTRY
I CHICKEN CHAT.
HI The interesting time of the year has
Hi about arrived. Wc must select our
H' show birds and fit them for cxnMbi-
H tion. Many of you have been mating
H' a long time with this end in view, and
Hj may not be sure whether your birds
H will score up well enough to justify
Hi your trouble and expense, and to these
H I want to say a word of encourago-
H1 ment: Select the best you have, after
H1
' studying the standard of the particu-
I lar breed you have, carefully, but do
Hi not expect to find ioo point birds, and
Hit do not be afraid to show birds that fall
H short in several sections, for the ioo
H point bird has never been hatched,
H and the game of the show room is "to
H beat the other fellow," and your good
H birds may chance to be the ones which
H will win the blue.
H Selecting.
H A' Standard of Perfection is a ncccs-
H sary guide, and can be purchased at
H any store where poultry supplies are
H kept, or can be Had of our own good
H i editor at the regular price, $1.50. It
H may seem hard to have to buy the
H standards of all the breeds, just to get
H the one or two you want, but scp-
H arate breed standards arc among the
H ' things of the future, which the good
H ' old A. P. A. will give us in time.
H In selecting, pay close attention to
H typical shape, as that is a very im-
H portant point with most judges. At
Niagara Falls in 1907, at the meeting
B of the American Poultry Association,
H wc had a very interesting and in
H structive chalk talk by Franklane
H Scwall upon the typical shape for a
H White Wyandotte. Now, all White
H' Wyandottcs look pretty much alike
H 1 to me, and it was surprising to learn
HF that only one perfect shaped White
M Wyand'ottc had ever yet been shown.
In selecting a Wyandotte for shape,
have in mind a round ball, for this
breed is all curves, and the outline
H resembles a ball more than any other
m! breed.
H In selecting a Rock, R. I. Red, Buck-
H cyc r Leghorn, have in mind an ob-
H long, as they have longer keels and
backs, giving length rather than
H roundness of outline. A study of the
illustrations in the Standard will make
m this clearer than any word-picture.
H Shape satisfactory, weightmvistbe
considered next, and right here let mc
impress it upon your minds that over
weight will not win, but the "bird
coming nearest the Standard weights
wins always." A tic between two
birds will give the prize to the lighter
weight bird, if that comes nearest the
Standard weight.
Shape and weight having been de
cided, color comes next, and if a.'jpcn
be selected, the females must be as
uniform in color as it is possible to
find them. Many times the birds will
be imperfectly moulted. In such
cases all old, faded, feathers musbc
carefully removed, so they may pre
sent a clean, fresh appearance. (This
is legitimate, and does not come un
der the head of "faking.") Good head
points count for a great deal, but I
have seen birds that won the blue in
"way down East" shows that had
combs like nightmares, and enough
white in carlobcs to condemn them as
breeders, yet those same birds "beat
the other fellows" when it came to
a count of points. So don't be dis
couraged, I say, but send them in and
get them scored, and the lesson thus
learned will repay you richly, whether
t
you win a prize or not.
Washing.
In fitting dark plumaged birds no
washing is needed, as a rule, excepting
the feet and shanks, beak and combs.
Two tubs of water will suffice for this,
both lukewarm. A' basin containing
a little water in which a few drops of
spirits of camphor have been dropped
is a good thing to prepare also.
The bird to be washed should be
held firmly in the left hand by tuck
ing its head under your arm, while
you vigorously scrub its feet and 'legs
with a soft brush, using plenty of
soap and elbow grease until perfect'
clean, even to the insides of the toe
nails. Then rinse thoroughly in the
second tub, being careful not toAwct
the feathers, and rinsing the head
points, comb and beak, in the second
tub whi contains no soap, and giv
ing a final dip into the basin con
taining the camphor water as a pe
ventive to cold. All this should be
done in a warm roonu I usually "take
the birds into the kitchen, and have
the coops all r ily with clean straw
or shavings ' .ront of a warm stove,
but watch that they do not get so
warm as to pant.
I forgot to say, that the feet should
be wiped dry with a soft cloth and
rubbed with a drop or two of sweet
oil to restore the gloss the soap re
moves. The feathers may also be
wiped with an old silk handkerchief
with good results.
White birds require much more of
a bath at least three tubs of water
arc needed, and a kettle kept boiling
to replenish from, so as to keep up
the temperature. One tub should
contain good soapsuds, one clear wat
er, the other water that has been
blued as for rinsing clothes. The
birds arc given a thorough washing
in the suds, working it well among
the feathers, but always rubbing the
feathers the way they grow, never
backwards.
This is a tedious job for the begin
ner, but practice soon makes perfect,
and the birds really seem to enjoy it,
if carefully handled.
After you arc sure every bit of dirt
has been removed, lift out of the suds
and wash just as thoroughly in the
second tub, that no particle of soap
may remain to smear and "yellow" the
plumage. The legs and feet must he
washed with a brush, just as for dark
birds, andl the final rinsing in the blue
ing water completes the bath. Now
set your bird on top of a table or
box, covered with a cloth, and with a
sponge take up all possible surplus
moisture, being careful not to muss
the plumage by rubbing the wrong
way. Dip feet, legs, comb aiid beak
into basin of water with camphor in,
at the last, wipe them dry, and oil
slightly, then place your bird where
it will dry slowly, free from dust and
dirt drafts. Many fan their birds
while drying, believing it makes them
fluffier, but I think this dangerous,
and prefer to have them dry slowly
and allow therm to preen their own
plumage, which they usually do better
than It can be done for them.
Training.
Showing birds is a great game, and
many various methods are used to
get the birds to show. The best way
is to raise them, of course, and I have
known people to mate a pen five years
in advance of a particular show, in
order to raise a pen fit to exhibit
there, and then fail. I have also
known people to scout out among
farmers and pick up a bird here, an
'Qjhej there, at a little better than
market prices, take them into the
showroom and win out with them.
Many buy a pen, ostensibly for breed
ing purposes, then berate the breeder
for not sending prize winners, at 1
breeders' prices. This hurts the busl
ncss and the breed. If it is show birds !
you want, be honest and candid when (
ordering. You may have to pay
more, but you will get your money's
worth if you buy of a reputable per
son. You may not like the birds at
first sight, and they may disappoint
you greatly, but if you bought them
to show, show them, and the judge
will tell you whether the birds justi
fied the price paid or not.
When I was breeding R. I. Reds, I
used to cull out all light colored
males and! sell to farmers to cross on
common stock very cheaply.
A lady bought a cockerel one year
at 75 cents which I considered buff,
not red. She came back next year
and said the bird had improved so
greatly, she thought I might exchange
and give her a young one in place of
it. I wanted to oblige her, so told
her to fetch him over. He still looked
buff to mc, but our home show was
short of birds, and wanted mc to help
out a little, so I sent him in with a !
string of other Reds, and he happened
to be the highest scoring cock in the
show, 95K points, while the balance of
my R. I. Reds scored from 92J3 to
9SVi oia pullet being as high scoring
as the male, so I sold that pair for a
good price on the strength of their
score cards, and their purchaser was
delighted with them. Evenness of
color in a R. I. Red is what counts,
and he was one even shade from head
to tail, while his undercolor was sim
ply rich.
Undercolor.
Shall I be impertinent if I explain
right here what the undercolor is? I
did not know for some time when I
first began to raise fancy chickens,
and R. G. Buffinton, of Fall River,
Mass., originator of Buff Rocks and
Buff Wyandottcs as well as Buff
Ducks taught mc, so I will pass it on.
Tt is the color of the feather where
it don't usually show, the fluffy part, I
from the skin out, and a Rock nowa
days must be barred to the very skin.
The undercolor plays an important
part in most breeds, as well as what
shows on the surface. My own Buck
eyes have some slate in undercolor,
because I believe when the slate is all
bred Qu.t, succeeding generations -fade