Minorcas. 
303 
by keeping it growing as long as possible without maturing too quickly, bone and flesh forming foods with 
little stimulating properties will be quite the best. The chickens should be separated according to sex at 
about two months old, killing the wasters, or those not likely to make good specimens. This latter requires 
some skill and knowledge to determine at times. There are certain defects which, however, stamp the 
chicks as useless for breeding or show purposes, such as side sprigs on comb, feathered legs, five toes on 
either foot, duck-footed, legs any other colour than black or slate, crooked breast, round back, squirrel tail, 
etc., and, as chicks never outgrow any of these defects, they may safely and wisely be discarded. A chick 
must not be discarded at this early age if it has red lobes, as these latter often become perfect with more 
age, or if possessed of a large amount of white in plumage, as this is mostly replaced by sound black as they 
grow older ; and, as a strange coincidence in breeding Black Minorcas, those chicks which exhibited the 
most white in plumage while young, invariably turn out the very best black coloured ones as adults. 
Feathers other than black or white at any stage of their lives stamp the b'rd as useless. 
When the young stock are about six months old, and the frame fairly well developed, more stimulating 
food may be given, at first rather sparingly, afterwards increasing the quantity, though care should be taken 
in avoiding spices or condiments that contain too heating properties, the latter being very injurious if fed in 
large quantities. At the same time, food rich in nutritive and harmless qualities, such as sheep's lights or 
meat of any kind, will be found highly beneficial. The good and lasting effects of the latter mode of 
treatment will soon exhibit themselves in the appearance and growth of comb, lobes, and wattles ; the whole 
general health of the birds will quickly be improved. This treatment may be more liberal for cockerels than 
pullets, as the latter should not be encouraged to mature too rapidly. One way to prevent the pullets from 
laying at too early an age is to change their quarters as frequently as possible, thus assisting them to mature 
fully before commencing to lay. If the latter can be retarded until t he pullets are at least seven or eight months 
old, it is most advantageous both for the Show pen and for breed i ng purposes ; and, as a well established fact, 
the slower a bird of this breed matures the longer it will keep good Show condition, and the better for the 
breeding-pen. 
When Minorcas are intended for exhibition, and if kept in confined runs, their legs should be oiled or 
greased occasionally, as in small dry runs the natural oily secretions of the legs soon become exhausted, and 
the legs first become very pale in colour and then covered with a scaly substance, an eyesore and objection- 
able from any point of view, though, at the same time and under the most favourable conditions and 
surroundings, the legs have a natural tendency to become pale after the bird's first adult moult. The change 
in colour of the legs is not, however, so rapid and noticeable if the birds have unlimited range. The nature 
of the soil has also much to do with this peculiarity ; the influence of a chalky or even sandy .soil being more 
pronounced than a clayey one. 
As with other birds intended to be exhibited, the Minorca requires training and being accustomed to 
the show pen. Thus, when intended for this purpose should be handled frequently and encouraged to feed 
from the hand, and should be gently stroked down the back with a light cane, not in a rough manner, but 
as gently as possible ; a wild bird in the Show pen having but little chance of scoring a card. 
Much can be done in the training of Minorca combs in the way they should grow. Very often the 
comb of the hen is so folded that there is an almost equal amount on each side of the head, or it may stand 
up too high or almost erect, or may flap to either side. When any of these latter faults are evident it will be 
necessary to train it a Httle. This can easily be done by first damping the comb with warm water, then the 
forefinger and thumb should be dipped in vaseline, and the comb gradually worked to the desired position. 
This requires a little perseverance, but in the end will be successful. The same treatment can also be 
applied to the comb of the cock, if it is thumb-marked or too far away from the back of the neck. Care 
must be taken that no vaseline is allowed to touch the lobes, as this will quickly discolour them. Before 
exhibiting, the comb, face, lobes, legs, and feet must be well washed with soap and warm water, taking care 
that no soap touches the feathers. If a little ordinary washing blue is added to the water used in washing 
the lobes, it will greatly improve their colour. 
