FITTING AND EXHIBITING POULTRY 555 



valuable for exhibition purposes, for a bird of undoubted age which 

 does not require the customary allowance for deterioration due to 

 age deprives all competitors of the benefit of such allowance. The 

 same thing is true in regard to the condition and development of 

 young birds. Whenever a bird that is unmistakably young, but 

 as well developed as an old bird, appears in a class of average 

 young birds, they lose (in competition with it) the benefits of the 

 usual allowances for immaturity. 



In large measure, success in exhibiting poultry depends upon 

 having specimens just right for the shows at which they are to be 

 exhibited. Inexperienced exhibitors often inadvertently get the 

 benefit of this without actually appreciating it. The seasoned ex- 

 hibitor plans for it. He has learned that the plumage of a bird is 

 at its best for only a very brief period after completing its growth ; 

 that pullets begin to go off in condition after laying ; that both 

 young and old birds may fail to properly molt a part of their 

 feathers, so that the old dead feathers, mixed with the live ones, 

 greatly detract from the appearance of the bird ; and that there 

 are numerous other little things affecting the preparation of poultry 

 for exhibition, — and he looks after all these points. 



Conditioning exhibition poultry. The natural conditioning of 

 birds for exhibition is a continuous process. The expert exhibitor 

 not only plans to have birds developed at a certain time, but grows 

 them under conditions which, as far as possible, insure freedom 

 from faults which can be prevented by giving the birds a favor- 

 able environment and a proper diet. All that has been said of 

 the advantage of natural conditions in growing poultry for mar- 

 ket and egg production applies with added emphasis to the grow- 

 ing of stock for exhibition purposes. Bad conditions, lack of 

 range, overcrowding, and improper diet while the stock is growing 

 are the causes of lack of size and weight, and also of poor form 

 and of color defects as the birds approached maturity. While 

 occasionally a back-yard fancier giving close attention to every 

 detail produces specimens that can hold their own in any competi- 

 tion, as a rule the finest specimens are grown where the range is 

 more than ample and the food always in full supply, and where 

 the birds frequent sun or shade at will. Under such circumstances 

 the characters of an individual develop in their finest form ; it 



