c-i 



THE ORPINGTONS 



comb, face, wattles and ear-lobes are red. The plumage 

 throughout should be a rich, lustrous, greenish black with 

 a black under-color. The legs and toes are black with the 

 web and bottoms of toes white. The skin should be white 

 on all Orpingtons. Yellow skin on the Blacks should dis- 

 qualify. Positive white covering more than one-third the 

 surface of the ear-lobes will also disqualify. Positive white 

 does not mean paleness in lobes, as is often seen, but what 

 is known as enamel white — a white through which the 

 blood cannot be made to circulate. Generally when we 

 strike such cases we hold the bird downward for a few 

 minutes and rub the lobe. If it is not an enamel or 

 positive white you can generally get the blood to flush the 

 lobes. Positive white in lobes, where not enough to dis- 

 qualify, should be cut from one-half to one and one-half in 

 each lobe. In examining plumage we must remember that 

 one-half inch or more of white will disqualify. Purple 

 barring should be cut from one-half to two in each section 

 where found. Red or other foreign color should be cut 

 from one to the color limit in each section where found. 

 If the eyes are too light in color cut from one-half to one 

 and one-half. A faded or dead black, especially on a male, 

 should be cut from one-half to one in each section. 



THE BUFFS. The beak, shanks and toes should be 

 white or pinkish white. Any other color will disqualify. 

 Positive white, as explained under the Black variety in 

 regard to ear-lobes, will also disqualify. The plumage 

 throughout should be an even shade of rich golden bufif, 

 free from shafting or mealy appearance. The main point 

 is to get one harmonious shade of bufif from head to tail. 

 A lemon and cinnamon bufif are given as the two extremes 

 of light and dark, and a medium shade between these two 



is desired. Diflferent shades of bufif in two or more sections 

 is a serious defect. Mealiness in plumage should be cut 

 from one-half to one and one-half in each section where 

 found, as in degree. Shafting, or light colored shafts, 

 should be cut the same — one-half to one and one-half in 

 each section, as in decree. Different shades of bufif should 

 be cut from one-half to two and one-half. Black or white 

 should be cut from one-half to the color limit in each 

 section where found. Eyes too light or too dark should 

 be cut from one-half to one and one-half. Missing or 

 broken main tail or primaries or secondaries should be 

 cut one-half point each. Missing sickle feathers in male 

 should be cut one point each. Most breeders prefer black 

 to white in wing and tail of breeding specimens, but the 

 Standard says: "both are equally objectionable." 



THE WHITES. More than one-third of the sur- 

 face of ear-lobes covered with positive white will dis- 

 qualify, as will also anj' other color than white in plumage. 

 Legs and toes should be white or pinkish white and any 

 other color will disqualify as will also feathers or down on 

 shanks or toes. The most common defects found are 

 creaminess and brassiness, the latter being more notice- 

 able in the males as a rule. Creaminess is caused by the 

 oil in the feathers and is used up as the feather matures. 

 Wherever creaminess is found, cut from one-half to one 

 and one-half in each section. Brassiness will be found 

 on the surface only and should be cut from one to two 

 points in each section where found. Gray specks, gen- 

 erally spoken of as "ticking" will be cut from one-half to 

 two points wherever found. The white plumage should 

 be a pure, pearl white and with the white skin there ought 

 to be no very great trouble in breeding it. 



Conditioning Orpingtons for the Sho^»v Room 



Simple and Safe Methods of Preparing and Washing Exhibition Specimens 



E. A. Harini 



THE Orpington is an ideal show bird. It has a quiet 

 disposition and shows off to advantage. The first 

 thing to learn in showing birds is to know your 

 breed, study the type until you can tell a good one at a 

 glance. Too many breeders breed good birds occasionally 

 and never know it until someone buys the bird for a song. 

 Know your birds, know how many good ones you have, 

 know for a certainty that they are free from disqualifica- 

 tions, then make your entries. Do not enter every bird 

 you have that you think might win; reserve a few for 

 emergencies; better show a few good ones than a string 

 of ordinary ones, and above all, show only as many as 

 you can properly fit. 



Personally, I think condition should count for more 

 in the show room than it does; first to encourage the 

 breeders to better eflforts, and second for the good of the 

 show. It does not seem as though a true fancier would 

 send a bird to a show of any kind., without first putting 

 it into the best condition possible. Stock taken from the 

 yards and shown in all their filth, collected in a season's 

 scratching and dusting, is a poor advertisement for any 

 breeder. 



The first step is to set up some coops in a well lighted 

 building, about three weeks before the time the show is 

 to open; then pick your birds and place them in these 

 coops and see how they show up. In this way you can 



select the ones wanted; next make your entries — always 

 less than the number selected. Now begin to coop, train 

 and handle the birds and get them so tame that nothing 

 out of the ordinary is likely to frighten them. Feed and 

 water them regularly and keep them in good condition. 

 About a week before the show, take a pan of warm water, 

 soap, a small stifif brush and some good sized tooth picks, 

 and, with someone holding the bird, and with a pan of 

 water between you, start washing his feet and scrub them 

 thoroughly. If very dirty remove the dirt from under the 

 scales very carefully with the tooth picks. If old scales 

 are loose and ready to come ofif, remove same. After 

 drying rub with a very little vaseline. The birds are then 

 ready to be washed. We tnake it a rule to wash all birds, 

 Bufif, Black ,or White and think one is improved by the 

 process as much as the other. There is and has been 

 much written on the subject of washing fowls. It is a 

 very simple matter, the main points being plenty of warm 

 water, soap and patience. A light sunny room is heated 

 to about 90 degrees, three tubs of clean, soft water pro- 

 vided, and a supply of turkish towels. The first tub should 

 contain warm water. In this the bird is held and after 

 being made thoroughly wet, is given a good soaping with 

 Ivory Soap, having him lathered all over, and wash it 

 clean. It is best for one person to hold the fowl and 

 another to do the washing; the worl: should not be rushed, 



