•62 



THE ORPINGTONS 



feathers on each side. If you will examine the Standard 

 drawings you will note that a little of each feather shows 

 when viewed from the side. This is called a well-spread 

 tail from a side view, and when viewed from the rear it 

 will resemble an inverted V. When viewed from the top 

 or front it should look broad and full, sloping from the 

 saddle with a concave sweep. Should there be an angle at 

 the base of and in front of the tail, it is probably caused 

 by the tail being carried too high and should be cut from 

 one-half to one and one-half. 



Now the breast, which is an important section in de- 

 termining the true Orpington shape. If it is flat and 

 narrow, and looks immature and not filled out, it should 

 be cut from one-half to three. 



Remember the body should be broad and deep with a 

 keel-bone that is rather long and straight and carried well 

 forward, with a fluff that is moderately full. If too short 

 and shallow, giving a Wyandotte or Plymouth Rock ap- 

 pearance, it should be cut from one-half to one and one- 

 half. 



Look at the legs and toes before taking the bird out, 

 as well as after. See if it is knock-kneed, bow-legged, too 

 long in legs or has crooked toes. Legs too long are cut 

 from one-half to one and one-half. Crooked toes are cut 

 ■one-half point each. Missing spurs on cock birds cut one- 

 half point each. 



In looking at the wings, it is well to hold your cuts 

 for shape until you have the fowl out of the cage. You 

 should, however, see that the wings are carried in a proper 

 position and not slipped. By slipped wings we mean ones 

 where the primaries fall or hang down and are not "tucked 

 ■up" under the secondaries as they should be. This is 

 ■caused sometimes by a feather or two being missing 

 where the primaries and secondaries are connected; or it 

 •is sometimes caused by muscular weakness. It should be 

 •cut from one to three points, depending on, whether it is 

 one or both wings that are slipped. This is a serious 

 'defect as it will reproduce itself and really should, in our 

 opinion, be made a disqualification. It should, therefore, 

 ■be cut hard enough to throw the specimen out of competi- 

 tion to discourage the breeding of such specimens. 



Now we are ready to take the specimen out of the 

 cage and examine it for color and other defects. Do not 

 'reach in and grab the fowl by legs and drag it out feet 

 first, thus taking chances on breaking wing feathers. Take 

 hold of one wing, from in front, near the front or body, 

 ;and you can turn the bird in any position you wish. Then 

 lead it out of the cage and as you do so, with your other 

 hand grasp its legs at the hock joint, letting the bird's 

 body rest on your arm. The fowl is thus held securely 

 ■and comfortably and can be easily handled without in- 

 jury. 



Condition 



The next section we notice on the score-card is con- 

 dition. It is valued at four points and is one of the most 

 difficult sections on the list to explain in writing. No 

 definite rule can be laid down for cutting defects found 

 under this section. The judge has here got to show his 

 wisdom and "horse sense." He has to be familiar with the 

 different diseases, the effects of freezing or frost-bite, the 

 effects of cuts, injuries, etc., and dirty and broken plumage, 

 or whether there is poor condition from over feeding or 

 starving. Condition, as referred to in the Standard, 

 means: "The state of a fowl as regards health, cleanliness 

 ^nd order of plumage." Some birds will catch a slight 

 cold when being shipped to a show and just begin to show 

 it when judged. In these cases the judge will generallv 



consider the specimen, cutting it from one-half to one 

 and one-half. If, however, the bird has a well-defined case 

 of roup or other contagious disease, it should at once be 

 removed from the show room. If the superintendent has 

 not noticed it before the judge gets to it, it is the judge's 

 duty to notify him at once and insist upon the fowl being 

 removed from the room. Frosted combs and wattles 

 should receive a cut of from one-half to two, depending 

 upon whether they are just slightly frosted or whether 

 they are festered. 



Soiled pluinage that looks as if the exhibitor had 

 made no effort to get the bird in good show condition, 

 should be cut one to two points. If it looks as if it haa 

 been cleaned up in nice shape and had become soiled in 

 shipping to the show, the judge can be a little lenient with 

 such a specimen. 



If the bird is too fat from over feeding to get it up 

 in weight, dropping the body and fluff below the hock 

 line, it should be cut from one to two points. 



Scaly Legs 



There is no excuse whatever for showing a bird with 

 scaly legs, because it is so easily cured. A good scrub- 

 bing with hot water and soap, then a little kerosene, lard 

 or vaseline applied twice a week for two weeks will cure 

 the worst case that ever existed. 



Head — Beak — Eyes — Wattles and Ear-lobes 



Head is the next section and valued at four points 

 each, divided two each for shape and color. 



The head is rather large, broad and deep, while the 

 beak is short and stout and nicely curved; the eyes being 

 large and oval in shape. If the head is long, slim or 

 narrow it should be cut one-half to one. A straight beak, 

 giving it a long, slender appearance should be cut one-half 

 to one as in degree. Deformed beaks will disqualify. If 

 blind in one eye, cut one. If the eye has run out leaving 

 only the socket, cut one and one-half. 



The wattles and ear-lobes are valued at five points, 

 two for shape and three for color. The wattles should 

 be fine in texture, of medium length and well rounded at 

 the bottoms. Should they be coarse, cut one-half. Should 

 they be torn from fighting or other injury the cut should 

 be one-half to one and one-half as in degree. Should they 

 be folded or wrinkled, cut from one-half to one. The ear- 

 lobes should be oblong in shape and fine in texture. 

 Coarse or wrinkled lobes should be cut from one-half to 

 one. Color cuts for these sections are described under 

 each variety color explanation. 



Comb 



The comb is valued at eight points. It is an important 

 section, as is shown by its high valuation with only shape 

 to be considered. The Orpington comb is somewhat 

 larger or coarser than the ordinary single comb. It really 

 should be fine in texture, but the larger size gives it a 

 rather coarse appearance. It should have five well-defined 

 points or serrations with the front and rear ones lower 

 than those in the center. The base should be solid and 

 set firmly upon the head in order to give the comb an 

 upright carriage. Side sprigs disqualify as does also a 

 lopped comb. A lopped single comb must fall over so that 

 the points are below the horizontal plane where the comb 

 begins to lop. Too many breeders seem to think that all 

 there is to a comb is the serrations. You will hear many 

 of them make the remark that "there is a good comb: it 

 has five points" or "there is a bad comb; it has only four 

 or six points," as the case may be. The Standard says that 



