jt;^ The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



each a long packing-needle, with a stout cord. The bread should be arranged with the crumb 

 facino- the inside of the basket, and be moistened with water or diluted port wine. For longer 

 journeys it will be needful to provide an aperture, in front of which are fixed food and water-tins, 

 with a request to the express agents, as the persons in charge are called in America, to feed and 

 water at due intervals. In this request bread and milk, or some other soft food, should be specified, 

 as it is very injurious and even dangerous to feed poultry on hard grain whilst travelling. 



The last thing before despatch, the heads should have a final wipe over, and be " freshened 

 up," to bring out the red, and produce that beautiful coral-like appearance which so sets off a bird 

 in the show-pen. Most breeders use a little salad-oil for this, putting it on with a sponge, but 

 taking care to give a very slight greasing only, and to avoid soiling the plumage. This answers 

 well with birds off grass-runs, but is apt to produce, after a few hours, a very dull appearance in 

 fowls from small yards. For such it is better to use vinegar, either by itself or diluted with half its 

 bulk of water. By carefully sponging with this, the colour is usually brightened considerably. 

 Others, again, use an ointment composed of cocoa-nut oil and turmeric. We should advise com- 

 parison, and adoption of the best of these, having found even our own experience by no means 

 uniform ; but whatever the material, all surplus should be carefully removed with a squeezed sponge. 

 Last of all, any bent or broken body-feathers should be removed, and a last smoothing over be given 

 with a silk handkerchief before placing the birds in the baskets for sending off. We prefer always 

 to put the birds in their baskets at night, when it can be done in peace and quietness ; and 

 even if they do not leave till next morning, they can easily be fed in their hampers before 

 departure. 



Fowls sometimes arrive at shows very much the worse for their journey. In this case, the 

 best thing is to administer to each a table-spoonful of port wine, and a bolus containing some such 

 restorative spice or condiment as given at page 141. After this a moderate quantity of food and 

 water may be allowed ; and the fowls, if not too far gone, will " pick themselves up " rapidly. 

 Sherry does not seem to suit fowls as a rule, and if we could not obtain port wine, we would 

 substitute brandy or whisky diluted with water. 



In the majority of cases birds need no treatment after returning from a show ; but it is always 

 best to feed tlieni the first day on soft food alone, and to put them on an allowance of water. 

 If they appear feverish, a little warm bread and ale should be given, followed by a tea-spoonful of 

 castor-oil. If exhaustion and debility appear, some port wine, and half a thimbleful of condiment 

 mixed in a bolus of meal, may be administered ; but these are exceptional cases. A brood cock 

 may be put back after feeding to his usual run; but we would give a special caution against 

 returning cockerels sent to a show for the first time to their old walk with the others. If their 

 absence has extended over three days, and often even when less, they will not again agree, but 

 begin to fight with great determination ; and as the system is often unusually excited after 

 exhibition, this involves considerable danger — cockerels thus fighting not very unfrequently 

 dropping down dead from apoplexy. For this reason, as we stated in our chapter on Poultry- 

 yards, a number of spare separate pens, in which unsold cockerels can be placed alone, become 

 highly ncccssnry where more than a very few exhibition birds arc reared. 



When not overfed, some fowls will stand a wonderful amount of exhibition, especially if they 

 can be freshened up on a grass-run in between ; but birds thus continually shown require a most 

 thorough and cdrcful examination before each time of sending off, to see that they are really fit to 

 go, and are not suffering from the strain. If they do appear to be sinking in any degree, it will be 

 far better to miss the chance of another cup in order not to risk the bird, to say nothing of such a 

 small thing (to many people) as mere humanity. We have been often sickened and disgusted — 



