PREPARING RHODE ISLAND REDS FOR EXHIBITION 



DO NOT CROWD THE YOUNG CHICKS-SUPPLV FRESH AIR, FRESH WATER AND GOOD FOOD- 

 STUDY THE STANDARD-SIMPLE RULES FOR PUTTING THE BIRDS IN SHOW ROOM CONDITION 



WE DO not know of a breed in the Standard of Per- 

 fection that is as easy to fit, or condition for the 

 show room, as the Rhode Island Reds. 



It is, of course, taken for granted that you 

 have studied the Standard or perhaps the many instructive 

 articles in, this book, so that you know the Standard require- 

 ments for a good Red. Knowing these, we should go back 

 even farther. 



The winner, if possible, should be selected, or planned 

 for, before it is hatched. By this we mean that the parent 

 stock, aside from being mated right, should be endowed with 

 a good, strong, healthy, constitution. Luckily the Red 

 breeders do not have much trouble along these lines on ac- 

 count of the well-known vigor and stamina of the Red 

 mentioned before. 



With a R. I. Red chick, well hatched, from good, healthy 

 parent stock, "it is up to the breeder," or the one raising 

 the chicks, to keep them under good, clean, sanitary con- 

 ditions. 



The young chicks, when raised in a brooder, should not 

 be crowded. We do not care if the brooder is advertised to 

 hold 100 chicks; forty in one brood is enough. 



Lice and other vermin should be fought and the chicks 

 kept clear of them. 



It is being demonstrated 

 every day that fresh air, and 

 lots of it, without drafts, is 

 one of the best health givers 

 and constitution builders, that 

 we have. Crowding should 

 be carefully avoided, and 

 especially at night. Plenty 

 of fresh air, fresh water and 

 foods that make bone and 

 muscle should be furnished. 

 Oatmeal, pin-head oats, bran, 

 green food and beef scrap to- 

 gether with lots of exercise 

 will produce vigor. Avoid 

 foods that make fat. 



There is nothing more 

 enervating than a crowded, 

 dirty coop on warm nights. 

 Such conditions cause sweat- 

 ing, restlessness and not only 

 a rough appearance but a 

 debilitated constitution. Give 

 them plenty of room and 

 healthful conditions as well 

 as growing feed, and you will 

 have no trouble in keeping 

 them growing. • 



Selecting Exhibition Specimens 



Early maturity being one 

 of the many good points of the 

 Reds, breeders can figure 

 pretty closely when they should 



52 



WIMNGR op piRST PRIZE, BOSTON. 1903- 



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be hatched to show in a certain month. A pullet will^mature 

 in from five to five and one-half months; cockerels in from 

 six and one-half to seven months, if kept growing all the 

 time. Cases have been reported where some pullets began 

 to lay when less than five months of age, but this is not the 

 general rule. A pullet is spoken of as "being ripe," just 

 tibout the time she lays her first egg, and is then, as a general 

 rule, at her very best appearance as an exhibition fowl. 

 Her head, comb and face will be a bright, healthy, red color 

 and her plumage will be at its brightest; her carriage will be 

 good as she will have a self-confident air about her. 



As soon as the sex is discernible cockerels and pullets 

 should be separated to prevent cockerels pestering the pullets 

 and fighting for favors among themselves, and both will do 

 better. If it is noticed that any one of the cockerels is being 

 cowed or whipped by the others, he should be placed in a pen 

 by himself or with some younger ones, for, unless this is 

 done, his spirit will be broken and perhaps a good specimen 

 spoiled for exhibition. At the ages mentioned above they 

 should be very nearly up to Standard weight which is 5 lbs. 

 for pullets and 7J lbs. for cockerels. The cockerel's plumage 

 should be pretty yell matured, the sickle feathers about 

 developed, giving him a finished appearance. About three 

 weeks or a month before the show the birds selected for 



exhibition should be weighed 

 and if a pound or so light, 

 they should be fed to put on 

 meat. Cracked corn and 

 boiled rice added to their 

 daily rations with some 

 corn meal or cracked corn 

 added to their dry mash, if 

 you are using one, will quickly 

 put on flesh. Luckily the Red 

 breeders do not have to worry 

 about the corn being white, 

 yellow or red, as do the breed- 

 ers of some breeds. 



In fitting the cooks and 

 hens for the show there is not 

 much that can be done except 

 to see that they are brought 

 up to weight and in good 

 health, with clean head 

 points, legs and feet. 



R. I. Red hens have been 

 known for their fading pro- 

 pensities and although the 

 breeders are fast improving 

 them, we should be careful 

 in selecting our show birds 

 and pick out the ones with 

 the most even, red color. 

 Many a hen that was a prize 

 winning pullet will not make 

 a good show bird and vice 

 versa. 



Cocks generally hold up 



SB 



