CLEANING AND WASHING FOWLS. 



birds are " trained." Those which have been 

 petted and kept tame all through, however, make 

 the best show of themselves, and manifest a 

 calm aplomb which is seldom quite reached by 

 those pen-trained alone. 



Some little modification in diet and regimen 

 is often advisable, not only during this training 

 time, but even perhaps for two or three weeks 

 before the show. There is no mystery about 

 this, nor is it a case for a table of directions; all 

 is simple enough, and to be governed by reason- 

 able judgment. Many birds, even chickens, 

 look better for a little more flesh than they 

 usually have while running at large ; that will 

 be a case for liberal though careful feeding. 

 Gloss will in most cases be increased, as well as 



flesh rather promoted, if every other 

 Gloss of day for two or three weeks the mash 



Plumage. jg mixed with thick linseed tea, well 



stewed, and with sufficient water to 

 make a thinnish jelly; using this instead of water, 

 seeds and all. A velvety lustre is often added by 

 this means, and no measure of quantity is neces- 

 sary, taking enough of the hot linseed tea and 

 seeds to mix the meals into proper consistency. 

 Active and sprightly birds, from a good-sized 

 run, but not required " hard " like Game fowls, 

 benefit most from this regimen, while full-fleshed 

 ones previously kept in confinement might be 

 deteriorated in health and condition ; one must 

 use judgment. When it can be borne, some- 

 times a little fat or linseed cake carefully added 

 to the daily food improves lustre ; and on the 

 other hand, birds which have been kept in 

 confined runs are occasionally improved in 

 gloss by giving, for about ten days, two grains 

 daily of saccharated carbonate of iron and about 

 half a dozen cloves. 



If the colour of comb and face be somewhat 

 pale, a little underdone meat, and one of the before 

 mentioned (p. 2 1 2) citrate of iron and potash pills 



daily, or 10 grains of the iron citrate 

 Colour of and I drachm of the potash citrate 



Combs. in half a pint of drinking water, will 



improve matters, as will sometimes 

 a little toast soaked in old ale, or a teaspoonful 

 daily of port wine. Mr. Cobb recommends 10 

 drops daily of colchicum wine in such cases for a 

 week to ten days, and we have known marked 

 improvement in colour from its use ; but colchi- 

 cum is a rather risky drug, whose after effects 

 are sometimes bad, in depressing the action of 

 the heart. Citrate of potash and iron is safer, 

 we think quite as generally effectual, and can 

 only be of benefit in any case, purifying and 

 enriching the blood. Chopped onions and dan- 

 delion leaves daily in lieu of other green food 

 are also of service in reddening combs. Birds 



with dark combs, from confinement and bad 

 feeding, are not fit for exhibition at all until they 

 have been brought into a better state of health. 



What is needed in the way of cleaning will 

 depend upon the colour. Dark or rich plumage 

 will require nothing beyond the washing of heads 

 and legs, and the confinement in the training 

 pen, which is better rather out of the full light. 

 Kept clean upon chaff, as here recommended, 

 the plumage will become clean and briglit 

 and glossy, if the birds are healthy. We never 

 needed any more than this with our Dark 

 Brahmas. The ground colour may he light 

 enough or bright enough to require rather more, 

 as in some shades of Partridge Cochin pullets, 

 or laced Wyandottes ; in this case the best pro- 

 cedure, where there is accommodation, is to put 

 the birds into a room deeply littered with straw, 

 amongst which some wheat is scattered ; a week 

 or two of this will clean them up a great deal, 

 and still preserve the natural oil, the loss of 

 which is the great objection to washing rich 

 coloured birds. Even buffs may often be suffi- 

 ciently cleaned in this way, especially when from 

 country runs ; nay, we sometimes see pure whites, 

 reared far from city smoke, which are all that 

 can be desired, though evidently unwashed. The 

 owner must judge about this ; but as a rule 

 white fowls, and other light colours like buff, do 

 require washing all over. 



Before washing birds of his own, a novice 

 will do well, if possible, to get 2i practical lesson, 

 otherwise he will be slow to grasp the very 



thorough character of the process. 

 Washing This thoroughness is the secret of 



Fowls. success, and most people fail in their 



early efforts because too nervous or 

 squeamish about damaging the feathers. It is 

 little or no use just to sponge down the outside 

 plumage. At least one large oval tub, not much 

 short of a foot deep for large fowls, must be 

 provided, and unless there be facility for rapidly 

 emptying and renewing the water twice, it is 

 better to have three at once. Anyhow, plenty 

 of hot water must be at command. Also provide 

 a basinful of soap solution, such as washer- 

 women use, made by cutting up some good soap 

 into thin slices and dissolving in hot water into 

 almost a thin melted jelly. There is also wanted 

 a good compact sponge, rather soft and just as 

 large as the hand can squeeze easily, and some 

 soft dry towels. In commencing operations the 

 feet and legs should be washed first, and separ- 

 ately. Then the tub is filled about two-thirds 

 with water about the heat of an ordinary hot 

 bath, and the bird stood in this ; it should be at 

 least deep enough to come well up about the 

 body, and if when the fowl is pushed down it 



