EXHIBITING AND JUDGING BANTAMS. 



[he proper time to begin preparing a bird for 

 exhibition is when selecting the parent bird 

 for the breeding pen. Perfect health and con- 

 dition are quite as necessary in the parent 

 bird as in the offspring; the former will not 

 produce healthy stock if in poor condition; 

 unhealthy birds will not make exhibition 

 birds of true value, for such birds will not stand the prepa- 

 ration necessary to condition them for conipetition, and 

 without such condition the chances of winning are very 

 poor. 



After twenty-five years of experience in poultry exhibi- 

 tions all over the country I am fully prepared to say that 

 the successful exhibitor of fancy fowls is always either an 

 expert at conditioning birds or a successful purchaser from 

 those who understand the art. Never in all my experience 

 have I seen a poorly conditioned bird win in strong com- 

 petition. When this is considered in its true light we fully 

 appreciate the necessity of having exhibition stock in the 

 highest show condition. This includes perfect health, per- 

 fect plumage, high condition of flesh (not overly fat) and 

 perfect cleanliness from tip of comb to end of toes. Not 

 one single section can be overlooked or neglected in its 

 preparation if success is to be assured. 



To properly rear a bird for exhibition it must be well 

 looked after from the day it is hatched. It will not answer 

 to allow them to grow up as they may and then select the 

 best for exhibition; they must be properly fed, watered,, 

 housed, and kept clean and free from all insects and dis- 

 eases. In Bantams they must be fed quite enough to keep 

 them growing properly, but not overfed so as to force them 

 to oversize. Good health and condition must be mairitained. 

 And, above all, never allow your birds to run about in the 

 wet after cool weather begins in the fall. If perfectly dry 

 the cold will not injure them. 



When fully matured, handle Bantams in preparation for 

 exhibition as follows: All smooth legged varieties should 

 be kept busy hunting in hay or straw for all they get to eat. 

 The litter must be kept clean and dry. This continued dig- 

 ging gives a fine polish to feet, legs and plumage of the 

 birds: hardens their flesh and keeps them under Standard 

 weight. The feather legged birds must be continually 

 watched to prevent their- scratching and destroying the 

 feathers on their feet. Small coops must be provided for 

 them, the floors of the same covered with clean, dry pine 

 sawdust. All food should be given in dishes; great care 

 should be taken not to drop any of the food on the floor of 

 the coop, for this will induce them to scratch and break 

 their foot feathering. The sawdust must be put through a 

 coarse sieve each day to free it from all dirt and droppings, 

 for thus only can perfect cleanliness be observed. 



All smooth legged, close feathered varieties should have 

 their plumage polished at least once a day with a cotton 

 flannel cloth or a silk handkerchief. This will keep them 

 perfectly clean and free from any bad condition of plumage, 

 and add luster and finish to same. Never use oil of any kind 

 upon the feathers, for while it looks well for a few days, it 

 soon gathers dust and dirt, thus destroying the rich ap- 

 pearance of surface plumage. 



By keeping the legs of your fowls perfectly clean and 



nicely polished with a woolen cloth or chamois skin, no 

 roughness or bad color will appear; when neglected it takes 

 so much hard rubbing to make them presentable, that they 

 often have the appearance of having been scaled to the 

 quick. When this Is carried to excess and the spurs shelled 

 it gives the legs the appearance of raw meat. This should 

 count against the specimen in the show pen. 



The proper training for the show pen Is of great impor- 

 tance. No good excuse can be offered for placing a wild, 

 untrained specimen in the show room. It is quite impossib'e 

 to properly consider the good or bad points of such appli- 

 cants for honors; but few of them can be considered as a 

 factor in a closely contested class. All birds intended for 

 show purposes should be trained to stand in the most attrac- 

 tive positions, and be taught to allow any one at all timss 

 and in all places to handle them and remove them from their 

 coops. When thus taught to put their best front forward, 

 if of good quality and condition, all is done that can be done. 

 Such a specimen has considerable in its favor as against 

 one that has no training for the show pen. 



Almost every one who has found it necessary to wash his 

 fowls for exhibition follows methods and ways of his own. 

 Some use hot suds and a sponge; others, alcohol to clean the 

 spots from the plumage, and others brush the outside or 

 surface plumage with hot suds and a stiff brush. All these 

 methods are good, if they succeed. 



My plan is as follows: Pill a tub (or bucket of the 

 proper size to meet the demands for room according to the 

 size of the bird to be washed) with warm water. First 

 wash head, comb, face and wattles with a small hand 

 brush; use a very little soap for same. Nej^t scrub feet and 

 legs very clean with same brush. If the fowl has feathers 

 on legs and feet, wash quite clean with plenty of soap. When 

 these parts are perfectly clean put the whole body of the 

 fowl into the water and thoroughly soften the feathers. As 

 soon as the feathers are well soaked with the water rub 

 them through and through with i)lenty of soap; use your 

 hands and fingers for this. Work the soap well into the 



TRAINING 



FOR 



EXHIBITION. 



