Let’s not
forget the impact of heredity on steadiness in a show cage.
Steady parents tend to breed steady chicks that naturally show
well. Flighty parents that will not perch and throw a fit in a
show cage tend to produce youngsters that behave in a similar
way.
Training
begins in the nestbox.
The more you handle youngsters the
calmer they become and this becomes very evident in the showcage.
When
chicks leave the nest I introduce them to the showcage even
before they are completely weaned, and use a think judging stick
to help them to the perch. I find this helps them later on to
accept a judging stick as a natural accessory in the show cage
and eliminates the possibility of a frenzy when the judge uses
one.
When they
are feeding themselves the chicks are transferred to small
flight cages, 48”x24”x24”, with others of similar age and a
couple of older docile cocks to lead them to food, water etc.
They are fed the normal seed & greens/veges during this period
and are loaded up with protein from as many sources as possible.
During
this time they are still caught and handled frequently to keep
them calm and comfortable, and spend short periods in a show
cage while I am feeding or cleaning the birdroom. Around the
time they start their first moult the time in a showcage
increases. Some will be placed in a showcage after they eat in
the morning. I live a 5-6 minute drive from the company where I
work so I can come at lunch and move another group to the
showcages for 3-4 hours in the afternoon.
I do like
to have some in the showcage when I am sweeping or vacuuming so
they are not unsettled by sudden noise or clattering they will
also experience at shows.
After the
first moult they go into a flight to develop and muscle up.
Approximately 8 weeks before the first show the better birds are
transferred back to the small flights and checked for broken or
damaged feathers that need to be removed so they can regrow by
show day. These birds are reintroduced to the show cage and
judging stick and each spends 2-3 hours at a time getting
reaccustomed to the smaller space.
A month
before show day the spraying starts 3-4 mornings a week. Heavy
drenching to start. I use a mix of water with a little Listerine
and Witch Hazel added.. This will encourage natural preening so
the birds eventually coat feathers with natural oils. As this
happens you will notice when you spray that the water will tend
to bead up and roll off rather than soak deep into the feathers.
Spray a little less each day so that a week before the show they
are basically getting a misting rather than a bath. I stop
spraying the Tuesday before a show.
Also a
month out check that any feathers you pulled are regrowing
naturally.
A couple
of weeks out I start cycling the birds through the show cages
for longer hours… approx 6-8 hours at a time, a couple of times
a week, making sure a judging stick is used every time I am in
the room so they know when to show and move from one perch to
the other.
This is
also the time I start using the toothbrush with a little
dishwashing liquid to clean up any areas in the cap or mask that
are soiled.
Then 4-5
days out I start despotting the birds. This is done in 2 or 3
sessions so there is no rush that results in wrong spots being
removed. I leave large shadow spots under the main spots until
the night before the show…. Just as insurance in case a main
spot drops at the last minute.
