FIR 1ST LESSONS IN POULTRY KEEPING. HI 



custom and general consent the common " law " as to requirements for the varieties included. 

 A copy of this book it is essential that every exhibitor and every breeder of thoroughbred fowls 

 should have. Trying to breed and exhibit without the information in this book is like trying 

 to do any kind of work requiring accuracy without a model, pattern or plan. Probably four- 

 fifths of the mistakes of new exhibitors are directly due to their failure to inform themselves 

 about Standard requirements. 



True the Standard contains errors, and errors are sometimes made in applying it. For these 

 an exhibitor is not responsible. The exhibitor is responsible for his own failures to conform to 

 the Standard requirements that are plain and unmistakable, and he can only be sure that he 

 makes no errors here by consulting the Standard on every point which may concern his exhibit. 



Applying the Standard in Selection of Specimens to Exhibit. 



To a novice who has never seen the application of the Standard demonstrated in judging, 

 and had the opportunity to have the demonstrations which specially interested him further 

 explained by the judge or other breeders, many of the descriptions in the Standard are vague 

 and indefinite, out with these descriptions he need not concern himself at this stage. Leaving 

 them for the present he should give his attention to the points that are clearly and unmistakably 

 plain, for these are, as a rule, the points upon which judges most nearly agree in the applica- 

 tion of the Standard, and under any competent judge a specimen is almost certain to suffer if 

 "off" in any of these points. In regard to them, knowing what the Standard says, even the 

 novice may know what the judge will do about them. 



The best way to study the Standard description of a variety of fowls is to have one or more 

 males and females of the variety under consideration cooped where they can be handled at will, 

 and examine each section in the birds as the description of it is read in the book. The better 

 the specimen the easier it is to understand the description. It is advisable for the prospective 

 exhibitor to give himself several drills of this kind to familiarize himself with the Standard 

 requirements before he undertakes to select specimens to exhibit. 



m. The descriptions state in a concise way, and almost without explanation, what is required in 

 an ideal specimen. 



Having selected one or more specimens which seem to be his best according to the descrip- 

 tion, the novice should next look up the disqualifications and examine carefully for them, for a 

 bird that is plainly disqualified, though in every other way a fine specimen, and the disqualify- 

 ing feature a very trivial one, is not only not given a prize, but in score card shows most judges 

 quit scoring as soon as they find a disqualification, and the exhibitor is thus left without the 

 record of the judge's complete estimate of the quality of the specimen, a distinct disappoint- 

 ment and misfortune when he shows to learn. 



On page 28 of " The Standard of Perfection" is given the list of general disqualifications 

 that is. of disqualifications which are the same for all or many breeds. Preceding the descrip- 

 tion of each variety the additional special disqualifications for that variety are given. 



To illustrate the method of looking for disqualifications:* Suppose a Barred Plymouth Rock 

 is under examination. Turning to the list of general disqualifications, the reader sees at once 

 that the first three do not apply to Barred Plymouth Rocks. Coming to the fourth he finds it 

 read? thus: 



" Ju all breeds, required to have unfeathered shanks, any feather or feathers on shanks, feet, 

 or toes, or unmistakable indications of feathers having been plucked from the same." 



Now the novice whose idea of a feathered leg is of a leg profusely covered with feathers 

 is apt to let that pass without a thought ; but he needs to give the point attention, and the legs 

 and feet of the fowl a very careful examination, for tiny feathers are often found on the out- 



*The reader must not understand that what follows is the method pursued by a judge, or an experienced 

 exhibitor, or the met hod he will himself pursue when familiar wiili the Standard and with his breed. The 

 expert knowing the disqualifications without reference to the book, and having them all in mind, sees the 

 more conspicuous ones at a glance. The breeder will look next for those most common in his stock. The 

 judge using the score card generally begins with the first section, and going right through the list, takes note 

 *^f a disqualification when he reaches the section iiisin. 



