382 AMERICAN POULTRY ASSOCIATION 



As the birds must usually return in the same coops as 

 those in which they are shipped, labor and time may be saved 

 by supplying enough grain, grit and shell to last throughout 

 the return journey. 



Arrangements for Shipping. The exhibitor should first of 

 all become acquainted with the dates of the exhibition, the first 

 day when the exhibition room will be open for birds, and the 

 last minute when they will be received for competition. The 

 most desirable time to have them enter the show room should 

 be determined, as under certain conditions it is better to have 

 them arrive at the first possible moment, while under different 

 conditions one would not want the birds to arrive until the 

 very last moment. 



Consult the Transportation Agent. The transportation 

 agent should then be consumed and the exhibitor should be- 

 come acquainted with the route, the changes from one route to 

 another, from one car to another, and all other changes involved, 

 whether they mean long delays and whether the birds will be 

 exposed or kept in comfortable rooms, etc. Sometimes infor- 

 mation along these lines will make an entire change in the 

 shipping program advisable, as by so doing long waits, poor 

 connections, exposure from weather with chances of storms, 

 may be eliminated, or the chances of the same greatly reduced. 

 The best facilities in shipping should always be sought. Ex- 

 pense should not be the first item considered. 



Travel with Your Birds. When possible to do so without 

 incurring too great expense or making too large sacrifices of 

 one nature or another, it is advisable to travel not only by the 

 same route as the birds do but by the same train. The ad- 

 vantages are many. A small gift or kindly words will often 

 keep coops on a level that otherwise would be tilted sharply, 

 which is of obvious advantage in preserving the good condi- 

 tion of the bird's plumage as well as its tranquility, both of 

 which are essentials when competition is keen. Express cars 

 are very apt to be so overcrowded in the show season, when 

 all coops are going in one direction, that some wait ; your coop 

 need not and probably will not if you are present to use gentle 

 suasion. Safe and sane stacking is another comfort that your 

 birds will enjoy if you travel with them, and comfort is neces- 

 sary for a highly conditioned show bird if it is to remain 

 highly conditioned. While it is usually against the ru'es of 

 express companies, the writer has often been permitted by 

 the messengers to remain in the car to feed, water and in 



