CHAPTER XIII. 



EXHIBITING. 



AS the actual time for exhibition approaches, 

 /-\ it is well that attention and preparation 

 be focussed upon it, especially if for an 

 important show. In many cases special treat- 

 ment for condition is useful ; but it cannot be 

 said too plainly that it all amounts to nothing 

 in comparison with that general care in rearing 

 and treatment already described, that many 

 birds require no more, and that such as do not 

 are those which show best. First-rate show 

 condition means simply perfect health, cleanli- 

 ness, that amount of flesh which looks best, and 

 uninjured plumage, in a fowl tame enough to 

 show well in its pen. There is no mystery in 

 any of these ; and though lack in one or 

 another may be to some extent remedied by 

 special measures, the fowl which needs none, as 

 thousands do not, is the best fowl still, for 

 showing as for anything else. 



It will be convenient to consider the younger 

 stock first. Here the time of hatching a bird 

 will have been considered in reference to the 



exhibitions at which it is desired to 

 Summer appear. Some exhibitors lay them- 



Shows. selves out specially for summer 



chicken shows, which entails hatch- 

 ing at New Year, or as soon after as possible. 

 Some, we fear, anticipate January 1st by two 

 or three months, but we do not envy such 

 breeders their success over more honourable 

 competitors. It is sufficient for us that the 

 recognised rule of the Poultry Club, and of 

 every fancier who puts honour above mere gain, 

 is that chickens of the year should not be 

 hatched before the New Year opens. Taking 

 that as our starting point, it will be found that 

 there is much extra trouble in rearing such 

 early chickens, and the breeding stock and con- 

 stitution of the strain are exhausted, as already 

 pointed out ; but, on the other hand, competi- 

 tion at these early shows is very small, and 

 winning is now so difficult in the heavy com- 

 petition of autumn and winter, that it is found 

 by some worth while to pay the price for the 

 sake of the easier victory. The chief care of 

 those who engage in this class of showing is 

 ample shade for their young stock, as the plum- 



age will be maturing during the heat of the 

 summer, and the sun tells more than upon the 

 later birds. Ample green food is unequalled 

 for giving condition to these forward chickens, 

 and if some lettuces can be grown and fed regu- 

 larly to them, they will be eaten with appetite 

 even upon a grass run, and have marked effect 

 in giving smoothness to the plumage. Such 

 chickens should only be penned up a few days 

 before exhibition, and if they can be kept clean 

 enough to be shown without washing, they look 

 much the better. These early birds mature 

 soon, because they finish their growth during 

 warm weather, being often in full feather at 

 from five to seven months old in the lighter 

 breeds ; but, unless in an exceptional season, 

 the more slowly maturing fowls will rarely be 

 fully furnished before October. 



Chickens hatched later require more time, 

 especially the large Asiatics ; and for the chief 

 exhibitions much can be done to 

 Preparing " nurse " them, or have them just 

 for a ready for the time required. The 



Given Date. furnishing of the cockerels may be 

 rather postponed by the use of dry 

 bone dust, or hastened (if the combs will admit 

 of it) by fresh bone or meat, and some sulphur 

 twice or three times a week ; also if a fine but 

 raw-looking cockerel be put with a couple of 

 hens for a few weeks before a show, it will often 

 set him up and " make " him up faster. Such a 

 bird cannot, however, be put back with the others 

 again, and this expedient should only be em- 

 ployed when needed, and when proper arrange- 

 ments can be made for him afterwards. Time 

 is still more important in the case of pullets, 

 which are at their very best just before laying. 

 That time would naturally vary with the breed 

 and the feeding ; and, if it does not come right, 

 effort should be made to postpone laying by 

 changing the best pullets from one pen to 

 another every ten days, and leaving off all 

 stimulating food ; in this way laying may often 

 be kept at bay for a month or two. 



We advise that, if space permits, before 

 the season for exhibition or sales (and sales from 

 the yard itself involve a kind of exhibition to the 



