EXHIBITING BANTAMS. 



509 



Training 



for 



Exhibition. 



and the chances are tiiat he will dash madly 

 against the sides and top of the pen in his 

 endeavour to get away. A little 

 care and trouble at the right time 

 obviates all this, and when once 

 properly done, it is done for the 

 bird's lifetime. 



In the first place get an ordinary 18-inch 

 exhibition pen, which will cost about 2s., and 

 fix this pen, or your set of pens, on a bench 

 about 4 feet from the ground. Take the bird 

 at night-time and place him in the pen, letting 

 him remain quiet all night to get used to the 

 pen. Next morning approach the pen gently, 

 and feed him through the wires, tempting him 

 with a little bread-and-milk sop, which all 

 birds are passionately fond of. He will be very 

 shy at first, but by degrees will come boldly up. 

 Feed him again at noon in the same way, and 

 at night, when it is dark, take a candle and go 

 and stroke him gently from the top of his 

 shoulders to the tail with your hand, speaking 

 kindly to him all the time. It is surprising how 

 much tamer a bird is by candle-light than he is 

 in day-light. When you have succeeded in get- 

 ting the bird to stand perfectly still while 

 stroking him down the back, commence strok- 

 ing him down the breast from the throat. Do 

 this as gently and slowly as possible. When 

 he has got accustomed to this too, instead of 

 the hand use a small cane or stick, but always 

 gently and quietly. Should the bird be in- 

 clined to carry his tail too high, by stroking 

 him down with the stick to the end of his tail, 

 the tail-carriage can be greatly improved. 

 When a bird is well trained, he will lower his 

 tail immediately the stick touches his back. 

 They acquire a habit of slightly walking away 

 from the stick, and naturally lovv'cr the tail to 

 be free from it. Should the bird droop his 

 wings, which is often the case, then I touch 

 him with the stick under the wings, at the same 

 time lifting them up, and induce him to tighten 

 himself up into proper shape before I leave 

 off. These faults can easily be remedied if the 

 training is persevered with for a few minutes 

 two or three times daily. Should the bird be 

 wanting in style, a few gentle taps on the back 

 of the legs and toes will quickly make him 

 step out like a well-drilled soldier. To give 

 " reach " to Game Bantams, get a little tit-bit 

 of meat, or bread and milk, and hold it high up 

 in front of the pen to induce the bird to reach 

 up. He will perhaps not come at once, but a 

 little patience will gain the day, and he will 

 come boldly up whenever you approach the 

 pen. Some birds take much more time than 

 others When they have been well handled in 



chickenhood, they require very little training ; 

 and again, the more highly-bred the easier the 

 training. 



The next step towards perfecting Bantams 

 for the exhibition pen is washing. All birds 

 do not require actual washing; those of dark 

 plumage need only be sponged over 

 Washing with tepid water prior to packing 



Bantams. them off. Moisten a sponge well, 

 and thoroughly sponge the bird 

 over, and afterwards dry thoroughly by a brisk 

 stroking in one direction with a silk pocket- 

 handkerchief. It is surprising what a " polish " 

 can thus be put on the feathers of any dark 

 birds such as Black Rosecombs, Black- or 

 Brown-red Game, etc., which look quite fifty 

 per cent, better. 



Whites and all light-coloured varieties re- 

 quire to be thoroughly washed, a process so 

 fully described in a former chapter that few 

 words are needed here. Three separate bowls 

 of water are required ; the first to contain soft 

 water as hot as you can comfortably bear the 

 back of the hand in ; the second slightly 

 cooler ; and the third just tepid. Place the 

 bird in the first with his head just clear of the 

 water, and soak him thoroughly ; then soap him 

 well with Sunlight or white-curd soap until you 

 get a good lather, and freely rub it into the 

 feather ; then sponge well with the hot water, 

 and repeat this operation until all trace of dirt 

 has disappeared. Then in the second bowl 

 sponge him well with the clean water until 

 all the soap is removed ; and finally transfer 

 him to the finishing bowl containing the tepid 

 water, and rinse him well from head to tail, 

 sponging him all the while. After absorbing 

 all the water out of the feathers that you ■■~an 

 with the sponge, dry the bird v/ith a soft towel, 

 then place him in an open wicker basket or wire 

 pen containing clean hay, placed about 3 feet 

 from a good bright fire, and allow him to 

 remain there until dry. It is as well to place 

 a cover round the back of the hamper or pen 

 to protect him from draughts. In hard- 

 feathered varieties it is a good plan, when the 

 bird is nearly dry, to take him out and give 

 him a good rubbing with a silk handkerchief 

 to get the desired polish, which would not be 

 obtained if left to dry by itself. It is best to 

 wash the birds at least two clear days before 

 they are required to be sent to the show, to give 

 the feather time for webbing out again. 



In despatching birds to a show, see that the 

 basket is clean and weather-proof, in winter 

 using good I hick lining: this is very important 

 for Bantams. Just before a bird is sent off, 

 give him a good feed of warm bread and milk, 



