Quote:
This is my first year to show. I have entered 3 shows, and I washed with soap (not TIDE) for the first show and blown dried. The next two shows I did not totally wash my birds. I did wash their legs and cleaned out around the vent, and didn't do anymore. The birds I shown, live in portable pens that I move all over the yard, on green grass (when we have green grass and not draught). And really looked clean (to me) in the late spring and mid summer shows I took them too. And that is why I said rinse and not wash and rinse.
And to be honest I never did ask anyone till last nite what they did. I went by the few posts here and there on ALL the poultry sites over the past year. And when it came to using soap, I read two different opinions.
Well, last nite I did ask my friend who has shown for 10 plus years at APA sanctioned events and does much better then most.
He too is an APA judge. When in doubt I write and ask.
he said:
"Exhibitors use a variety of soaps & shampoos. Its especially important to have something good for white birds. I use Tide (with Bleach Alternative) Laundry detergent. Ive washed some white rocks, 3-4 times over a couple of months period with no loss of feather quality. I use three 20 gal. tubs, actually plastic sinks with legs but 10-15 gal. plastic totes would be fine-
1) Tide 1/4 cup or so in 20 gal. water
2) A couple glugs of white vinegar in 20 gal. water
3) Plain water with a tiny bit of bluing (optional)
I used to put glycerin in the 3rd tub but didnt see any improvement vs. not using it, so I discontinued it a few years ago. Also, in the past Ive tried various specialty animal shampoos etc. but have gone to Tide. Matt Lhamon, poultry judge, is a Proctor & Gamble employee & says it has especially good whiteners in it. Its done better than anything Ive used. However, its still best not to let white birds get very stained. Bad stains dont come out no matter what you use."
So, I hope this explains myself better to what I will be doing and not what I had said I was doing.
This is my first year to show. I have entered 3 shows, and I washed with soap (not TIDE) for the first show and blown dried. The next two shows I did not totally wash my birds. I did wash their legs and cleaned out around the vent, and didn't do anymore. The birds I shown, live in portable pens that I move all over the yard, on green grass (when we have green grass and not draught). And really looked clean (to me) in the late spring and mid summer shows I took them too. And that is why I said rinse and not wash and rinse.
And to be honest I never did ask anyone till last nite what they did. I went by the few posts here and there on ALL the poultry sites over the past year. And when it came to using soap, I read two different opinions.
Well, last nite I did ask my friend who has shown for 10 plus years at APA sanctioned events and does much better then most.
He too is an APA judge. When in doubt I write and ask.
he said:
"Exhibitors use a variety of soaps & shampoos. Its especially important to have something good for white birds. I use Tide (with Bleach Alternative) Laundry detergent. Ive washed some white rocks, 3-4 times over a couple of months period with no loss of feather quality. I use three 20 gal. tubs, actually plastic sinks with legs but 10-15 gal. plastic totes would be fine-
1) Tide 1/4 cup or so in 20 gal. water
2) A couple glugs of white vinegar in 20 gal. water
3) Plain water with a tiny bit of bluing (optional)
I used to put glycerin in the 3rd tub but didnt see any improvement vs. not using it, so I discontinued it a few years ago. Also, in the past Ive tried various specialty animal shampoos etc. but have gone to Tide. Matt Lhamon, poultry judge, is a Proctor & Gamble employee & says it has especially good whiteners in it. Its done better than anything Ive used. However, its still best not to let white birds get very stained. Bad stains dont come out no matter what you use."
So, I hope this explains myself better to what I will be doing and not what I had said I was doing.
