388 AMERICAN POULTRY ASSOCIATION 



CHAPTER V. 



RETURNING FROM THE SHOW. 



Birds that are returning from exhibitions are always 

 shipped by the shortest and most direct routes and always 

 by express, except shipments that are local or so nearly local 

 that they may be taken by the exhibitor's own conveyance or 

 one that he has hired. Freight shipments are too slow and 

 unreliable even for the return journey when, though the exact 

 time prehaps of arrival is not important, the duration of the 

 journey must not be of such length that it is wearisome to the 

 birds being shipped and has, consequently, a detrimental influ- 

 ence on their health. 



Low Return Rate. Generally, a lower rate is secured by 

 allowing the same express company that transported your 

 birds to a show, to handle the recurn shipment. Usuallv, two- 

 thirds or three-quarters of one rate is saved thereby, if fully 

 prepaid when the shipment leaves the home office. 



A Change in Temperatures. As to preparing the birds to 

 withstand the return journey, little that has not been may be 

 done now. It should be remembered, however, that the birds 

 have been in a room that ordinarily has been several degrees 

 warmer than a poultry house usually is, at this season of the 

 year, and, therefore, the birds may be a little more sensitive to 

 weather conditions than when they started on the trip to the 

 show ; consequently, all the protection that was provided for 

 the first trip should be used for the return. Usually, the birds 

 are shipped out of the show room in the same coop in which 

 they entered it, and the protection would be identical for both 

 trips. 



Condition of Coops. The coops should, however, be in- 

 spected to discover any break that may have been incidental 

 to the journey, and if the same is so located as to cause drafts 

 or of such a nature as to afford a possible chance of injury to 

 the fowl, it should be repaired securely before the birds are 

 cooped. The shipper should see that there is ample bedding; if 

 it is the same that was in the coop when it started from home, 

 it should be ascertained to be in sanitary condition, and per- 

 fectly dry above all things. 



Feeding for the Return Journey. Grit, or shell, or both 

 should be there in small quantities, and wholesome grains in a 

 sufficient quantity for the needs of the birds during the jour- 



