THE LEGHORNS 



drag it out, thus taking 

 chances on breaking wing 

 feathers; take hold of one 

 wing, from in front, near the 

 body and you can turn the 

 bird in any position you wish. 

 Then lead it out of the cage 

 and as you do so, with your 

 other hand grasp its legs at 

 the hock joint letting the 

 bird's body rest on your arm. 

 The fowl is thus held se- 

 curely and comfortably and 

 can be easily examined with- 

 lait danger of injury. 

 Condition 

 The next section we no- 

 tice on the score card is condition. 

 It is valued at four points and is 

 one of the most difficult sections 

 on the list to explain in writing. 

 No definite rule can be laid down 

 for cutting defects found under 

 this section. The judge has here 

 got to go slow to show his wisdom 

 and "horse sense." He has got to 

 be familiar with the different dis- 

 eases, the effects of freezing or 

 frost-bite, injuries, etc., dirty and 

 broken plumage and whether there 

 is a poor condition from over- 

 feeding or starving. Condition as 

 referred to in the Standard means, 

 "the state of a fowl as regards 

 health, cleanliness and order of plu- "^ 



mage." Some birds will catch a cold 



on being shipped to a show and just begin to show it when 

 judged. In these cases the judge will generally consider 

 the specimen, cutting from one-half to one and one-half. 

 If, however, the bird has a well-defined case of roup or 

 other contagious disease, it should at once be removed 

 from the show-room, and if the superintendent has not 

 noticed it before the judge gets to it, the judge should 

 notify him at once and have it removed. 



Frosted combs and wattles should receive a cut of 

 from one-half to two, depending upon whether they are 

 just slightly frosted or whether they are festered. 



Soiled plumage that looks as if the exhibitor had 

 made no effort to get the bird in good condition, should 

 he cut from one-half to two points. If they look as if 

 they had been clearked up in nice shape and become soiled 

 in being shipped to the show or from dirty coops caused 

 Uy careless show management, the judge can be a little 

 lenient with such specimens. 



If the bird is too fat from over-feeding and has "gone 

 down behind," as they say, it should be cut from one-half 

 to one and one-half points. 



Scaly legs. There is no excuse whatever for showing 

 a bird with scaly legs because they are so easily cured. A 

 good scrubbing with hot water and soap, then a little kero- 

 sene, lard or vaseline applied twice a week for two weeks 

 will cure the worst case that ever existed. 



Whenever you cut for condition note in the remarks 

 column of the score card the reason. (See Fig. A.) 

 Comb 

 This is the most valuable section of the Leghorn, 

 being valued at ten points and only shape to be consid- 



ered. There are manj- defects to be looked for and this 

 section is one liard to breed and get good. 



Single Comb 



Most breeders seem to understand that there should 

 be five or more points or serrations and that every point 

 more or less than five should be cut one-half point each. 

 For example if a comb has six points cut it one- 

 half point, if it has four points cut one half; if it has seven 

 or three, cut one point, etc. We hear many exhibitors re- 

 mark "there is a good comb, it has five points," or "there 

 is a poor comb, it has six or seven points," as the case 

 may be. They do not seem to realize that if all the ser- 

 rations were missing it would only call for a cut of two 

 and one-half points and we would still have left a valua- 

 tion of seven and one-half points to cover other defects. 

 Let us look at some of the other defects illustrated here. 

 In Fi,g. 1, we have not only a perfect comb, five serrations, 

 line in texture, free from folds and wrinkles, the blade of 

 Iiroper proportion and fitting the head perfectly, but the 

 eye, beak and wattles and ear-lobes all show perfect shape 

 and are well worth careful study. In Fig.2, we have a 

 comb that is a bad one and one that no fancier should 

 allow in his breeding yards. Let us score it. In the first 

 place it has ten serrations calling for a cut of two and one- 

 half (five points too many). The serrations are uneven 

 and should be cut one point for that defect. It has a 

 bad thumb-mark on the side and this defect is never cut 

 less than one point. It follows the head too closely and 

 too far back and should be cut at least one-half for that 

 defect, making a total of five points or fifty per cent off. 



In Fig. 3, we have a comb not as bad. It has seven 

 serrations which call for a cut of one point. It is too thin 

 at the base causing the comb 

 to wilt or start to lop over, 

 especially when confined in 

 a warm place for a few days; 

 such combs get a cut of one 

 point for thin and light base. 

 The points of the serrations 

 tuin at the top and should be 

 cut one-half point, making a 

 total of two and one-half. 

 These thin combs generally 

 stand up and look fairly good 

 when the bird is out in the 

 open but a warm room and 

 rich food, especially bone or 

 meat, will soon cause it to go 

 over. For those who have 

 females with thick coarse 

 combs not inclined to droop 

 these thin male combs are 

 sometimes useful in breeding 

 to produce pullets with a 

 nicely drooped comb. 



In Fig. 4, we have an- 

 other defective comb, one 

 that used to be quite com- 

 monly met with in the show- 

 room, but we are pleased to 

 say are fast disappearing. It 

 has seven serrations, so cut 

 it one point. The twist or 

 fold in front should be cut 

 one. The blade is high and 

 too long which should re- 

 ceive a cut of one-half and it 



