August 13, 1876. J 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB, 



143 



We are convinced that birds which have been exhibited much 

 during the summer usually moult-out but badly. They seem 

 to lack strength to form new feathers quickly, and often waste 

 away. "We have noticed time after time individual birds which 

 have won in Anijust and September, but have not been fit to 

 show again till January. 



The plan we always adopt is, about the first week of August 

 to turn all our hens together into a good orchard near where 

 there is a house large enough to accommodate them all, and 

 there we leave them to moult naturally, feeding them well 

 but not giving them enough to make them sleepy or fat — we 

 are here speaking of the large breeds of fowls — and letting them 

 have a copious supply of clean water. We do not pretend to 

 recommend any particular feeding. This must be left to the 

 discretion of the manager, as different birds and different 

 strains have different peculiarities, and consequently here the 

 manager must use his judgment ; but we again state the hens 

 must bo kept in good order, and allowed to become to a certain 

 extent heavy without approaching the possibility of being in- 

 ternally fat. 



When we find two or three hens are losing their feathers 

 faster than the rest and seem to be going in for a quick moult, 

 then we take those away and place them in enclosed shady 

 runs about G feet square, where there are no draughts, and get 

 them on as fast as possible for the early autumn shows. The 

 floors of these pens we make 4 inches deep of clean sand, and 

 cover the top with coarsely-cut straw chafl. We find generally 

 the birds which have to come to these little runs to be made ready 

 for the early shows are those heus which have not been ex- 

 hibited for some time, and which have buen allowed to have 

 broods of chickens. The remainder of the hens moult-out, as 

 we said before, naturally in their large run, and are singled out 

 later on for the breeding or show pen as required. 



In the case of all light-coloured birds we would be careful not 

 to use maize in excess. We have seen many a bird ruined, 

 ©specially cocks, for the show pen for the year, through the ex- 

 cessive use of this food, for it has a very bad eflect on the 

 feathers and makes them yellow and coarse, and in White birds 

 often almost straw-coloured. 



Thus much for our treatment of hens in the feathering season ; 

 now for a word about the cooks. We find small runs beat for 

 them ; in fact, the large feathered-legged breeds should always 

 be kept in such places in the moulting season, and when once 

 the feathers begin to drop it is surprising how quickly they get 

 their fresh ones when thus confined. If there are many cocks 

 to moult, and the number of these pens is limited, we have 

 known large exhibition baskets used with success. We do not 

 mean a bird is to be kept in one during the whole of his moult, 

 but by keeping a cock in one for three or four days, and then 

 putting him in a run, taking the cock which has been living in 

 that for a little sojourn in the basket, and so changing them 

 about, seeing at the same time they are kept clean and well-at- 

 tended to — we have, we say, thus often known many valuable 

 birds belonging to people with but very small accommodation 

 brought successfully through the moult. We feed the cocks on 

 the same food as we do the hens — good sound ground and whole 

 corn, with a little Spratt's, but we sometimes add a pinch of 

 some condimeiit if they seem to be at all dull, and this often 

 appears to give the new feathers a fresh start. 



Those who want to put up a certain cock over a year old for 

 breeding early January chickens, we would recommend to let 

 such a bird moult as naturally as possible, and not exhibit it 

 till the required chickens are hatched. We are sure that cocks 

 moulted in places heated artificially or treated in any way con- 

 trary to nature, or, again, cocks frequently exhibited in Novem- 

 ber and December as soon as they have their new feathers, 

 are but very rarely the fathers of early chickens, for in runs 

 where this has been the case we have repeatedly noticed sitting 

 after sitting of clear eggs. It is consequently important to have 

 the birds to be bred from well over their moult early, and then 

 reserve them entirely tor the breeding pen. If hens have laid 

 just before they begin to moult it is often a good plan to let 

 them bit on nests of china eggs, keeping them in good condition 

 all the time. The old feathers seem to come off so cleanly, and 

 the new feathers sprout up as thickly as possible. We shall never 

 forget going to see Mr. Pares in 1869, and finding in July all his 

 champion Brahma hens sitting to a=^sist them over their moult in 

 good time. We have found, too, that a frequent application of 

 sulphur ointment to the legs of the feather-legged varieties is 

 often of grea,t service during the moulting season, as it keeps 

 the legs free from coarse scales and scurf disease, and seems to 

 help the growth and development of the foot and leg feathers 

 at the same time. — ^W. 



ALEXANDEA PALACE POULTRY SHOW. 



As will be seen by our advertising columns the arrangements 

 for this Show have been concluded, and the Exhibition will be 

 held, as originally announced, on the 19th, 20th, and 2l3t of 

 October, 1875. All the poultry classes are to be for birds bred 



this year, and there will also be classes for many varieties of 

 young Pigeons. 



As this will be the first show of chickens held in London — in 

 fact the first great chicken show of the season — we may expect 

 to see moat of the future champions brought out which will do 

 battle for their owners at the principal winter exhibitions, espe- 

 cially as we hear the cups are to be very numerous, and the 

 money prizes of considerable value. 



ALFOKD SHOW OP POULTRY, &c. 



The annual Show was held at Alford on the 3rd and 4th inst. 

 in an extensive pasture close upon the town. Considering the 

 population is so sparse in this locality this was a spirited venture, 

 and the spirit and energy of the Committee most commendable. 

 The pens were Billett's of Southampton, and were well arranged 

 in double tiers in the centre, and singly on the aides. In poultry 

 the entries were not large, no doubt on account of the occur- 

 rence of other shows at the same time ; they were 163 in all, 

 but the winners were generally good. 



Of Dorkings two pens were good and the rest rubbish. Cochins 

 poor, except the first, a fair pen of Buffs. In Brahmas, Light, 

 the first were a good pair, the second a grand cock with a hen 

 in fine feather, colour, and marking. This must be a very late- 

 hatched bird of last year. Brahmas, Dark, were pretty good but 

 a little shaky in feather. Spanish a grand lot; three entries. 

 In Ead Game cocks the winner of the cup was the bird in the 

 same position at Doncaster, a Brown Bed, and Game all over; 

 second a capital Black Red, and third Brown Red. In Red hens 

 Brown Reds were the winners, and were all good, the first 

 especially. In the Variety of cocks Duckwings won the first, 

 a very good bird in all points, but the others were only moderate. 

 Duckwings were also the recipients of the honours in hens. 

 The winners good, the first most noticeable for style, and second 

 more for colour and marking. Samburghs a fair lot, Messrs. 

 Robinson, Long, and Pickles coming in for the prizes. Silver- 

 pencils good, but not particularly nice in comb. Golden a little 

 faded, but comb good ; Silver-spangles being better, and Golden 

 best, and the cup awarded here. Game Bantams, with a few 

 exceptions, were poor, but there were some fair Silver Sebrights, 

 to one of which the cup was awarded. In French were two 

 classes but only six entries, but there were some pretty good 

 birds in each. Polish were pretty good, and all Golden. In the 

 Local class nice Gold Polantis were first, Houdans and Brahmaa 

 taking the other prizes. The Selling classes were a marked 

 contrast to what we generally see at this time of year, some of 

 the birds being very good, Messrs. Newbitt's Spanish and Wren's 

 Brahmas particularly so. Pen 356 (Low) contained a cock with 

 a spur growing out of the centre of the head, which, though 

 detached from the skull, was grown to the flesh, and in our 

 opinion had been inserted after the removal of the comb, this 

 and the wattles being evidently cut. Chickens were pretty 

 good as a class. Dark Brahmas and Dorkings dividing the prizes. 



Rouen Ducks were good, but of Aylesbury there was only one 

 pen; and in the Variety White-faced Whistlers were first. 

 Domesticated Mallard second, and Cross-bred third. 



Of Pigeons there were about 135 entries, and, the show at 

 Driffield occurring at the same time, it is surprising that the 

 entries were so large in these and the Rabbits. With Messrs. 

 Fulton, Hammock, Tardley, Ord, and Woodhouse as exhibitors 

 little need be said of the general quality of the birds. Carrier 

 cocks were all noticed, and the cup for the first section was 

 awarded to a grand Black, well developed in beak and eye 

 wattle, very good in colour and style ; second a strong young 

 Dun, and third a good Black, but with a stiff wing. Hens also 

 good. First'BIack, a Carrier all over, and a capital match for the 

 first cock ; second Black, not so heavy, and third Dun, wanting 

 only in neck. All noticed. Many of the Pouters were a little 

 shaky in feather, but were good classes. In cocks first a Blue 

 in fine show, second a White quite as well up, and third a Black 

 well marked, very sound in colour, but rather short. All were 

 noticed, as also in hens, where the first was Black, second 

 Black, and third White. Tumblers were an excellent lot of 

 Almomis. First a cock very rich in ground and perfectly broken, 

 with grand head properties, but slightly cloudy at the corner of 

 the eyes ; second grandly broken, a little darker ; third beau- 

 tifully broken, not so rich, and Mr. Yardley'a out of feather 

 and looking ill. In Balds and Beards first was Black Bald, per- 

 fect, but wanting a moult; second a Silver, good, but lost in 

 head a little, and foul on one thigh ; third a grand Blue Beard, 

 but rather lame. Barbs only a moderate class ; first Red, and 

 second and third Blacks. With the exception of the first Red 

 cock the Jacobins were poor. Dragoons good. First a Blue, 

 second Yellow, and third Black-barred Silver. The cup for 

 these classes was awarded to the Almond. Fantails were un- 

 commonly fine, the three winning birds a close run, and all 

 White. Turbits a nice lot, though some were a little dirty. 

 First a Blue cock, second Silver, and third Blue. Owls were 

 all foreign ; the first and third White, and second Blue, the cup 

 going to the first-named bird. In Antwerps first was a good 



