376 AMERICAN POULTRY ASSOCIATION 



to the apparent whiteness of the bird; but it is impossible to 

 give explicit directions for blueing, for the reason that water 

 from different sources requires different amounts of blueing to 

 produce the best results, and the different blueings that are 

 sold throughout the country differ very materially in strength 

 and composition. So, if you adopt this practice, you will have 

 to experiment beforehand as to the amount of blueing you will 

 use. The amount that produces good results in the laundry is 

 generally also about right for birds. 



Drying. After the bird is washed and rinsed, put him 

 into a coop similar to those used in the show room ; and if 

 possible, one having a wire netting bottom, so that he can 

 drain out for about fifteen minutes. Then transfer him to a 

 coop in a room where the temperature is from 85 to 90 degrees. 

 He will dry out there in proper shape in three or four hours. 

 Then gradually reduce the temperature to about 70 degrees, at 

 which temperature the room should be kept for eight or ten 

 hours longer. After that he should be able to stand normal 

 temperature as before washing. 



Some of the larger farms have special rooms fitted up for 

 washing and drying, arranged so that they can have rooms at 

 different temperatures. Lacking this equipment, you can get 

 about the same results by moving your birds to and from the 

 fire or other source of heat. You can tie a thermometer to 

 the front of the coop in which your bird is drying, and keep 

 him in about the correct temperature in that way. To a cer- 

 tain extent, the actions of the bird indicate the proper tem- 

 perature; as, when he is shivering, get him closer to the fire; 

 and, if he begins to pant, it is time to move him back. Indi- 

 vidual birds differ as to the amount of heat they need and can 

 stand; and they will indicate, to the observant attendant, the 

 proper procedure. 



Drying Long Tails. In washing a Leghorn or any bird 

 that has long sickles, it is well to fan his tail out after he has 

 been drying about an hour, or just as the feathers begin to 

 web. Let one person hold the bird, and an assistant fan the 

 tail for about fifteen minutes. Otherwise the sickles are liable 

 to dry twisted or to come with a poor finish on the edge, 



Impossible Specimens. Some birds have a type of feather- 

 ing that does not improve by washing. Anyone who has 

 washed many birds can detect this at a glance, as a thinness 

 of the fabric of the feather, as we express it. This style of 

 feathering seems to go to pieces during the washing and dry- 



