Well its been a crazy two weeks for your favourite Director and Manager at Chicken Corner. This season’s agricultural shows have been rolling by, which has required a high level of organisation in terms of preparing my cockerels for their moment in ‘shining lights’ at the Royal Norfolk. To add to the chaos, emotions were running high as I attended the University of Nottingham’s final Ball AND found out that I achieved a First Class in my degree in Archaeology and History of Art. Dream big kids!
As you are aware, the partridge pekin, G, was broody and therefore no longer in the running for exhibition purposes. Not wishing to waste my £4 entry however, I tried my luck and asked to enter another bird. The Norfolk Show was very obliging and so my Black Pekin Frizzle cockerel became the second member and completed the 2018 Chicken Corner Showteam.
Preparation commenced two weeks in advance of the Show. This consisted of placing both cockerels, Caesar and un-named Pekin, in the shed in order to prevent further feather damage. In between time spent at the Lincolnshire Show (which you’ll be pleased to know I was awarded Reserve Champion Beef Cattle Young Handler with my Lincoln Red, Elsie!) and part-time work at a local café, I was handling and washing my birds.
Washing chickens?! ..my innate telepathic ability enables me to hear you cry.. Why do you do that?! How do you do that?! I’m going to break this down. First answer is simple; it is to make them look clean for the judge. Second answer gets complicated so hear goes …
For a bit of context, imagine a boiler room with hundreds of farm-boots and coats huddled together, shelves fit to busting, and a single window providing limited natural light due to the extraordinary number of glass jars stacked on the wide ledge. My family are collectors of “things.” Things that may or may not be of use in the near-future or even distant future, but whose presence is justified just on the off-chance that one day for example, you have the desire to dye your clothes a bright orange colour – that jar of coloured dye has been sitting there for about five years.
I realise I’ve taken you slightly off-topic, but it was necessary because you have to understand that most of those “things” had to be relocated during the washing-of-the-chickens-session. For some, this may seem excessive, however, am I appreciative of my younger, thoughtful self? Oh yes. For you see, I fill a washing-up bowl full of water and stand the bird in it. I then preceed to pour water over its feathers, eventually completely soaking the bird. Easy enough perhaps.. wrong!.. as Caesar demonstrated so perfectly, exiting his less-than spacious bath tub on about 17 occasions. Reminiscent of the way (I imagine) the prehistoric beasts first emerged onto land, leg by scaled-leg, Caesar crawled from the depths, heading towards the light, now of immense intensity due to the clear sill of the window.
In years gone by, I would have left those “things” there, resulting in panic and pandemonium (in this case, not on top of the Peach, as in Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, but in Bates Moor’s boiler room). Jars crashing, paintbrushes poking eyes, and wet birds’ wings whipping me in the face (NOT FUN). All was avoided this time around, apart from the fact I had to become a human barricade to stop Caesar going in the other direction onto the floor. And top tip to those now enthused to wash a chicken: Avoid wearing clothes you wish to wear that afternoon.
After this dramatic episode, I wrapped them in towels and allowed them to dry outside in the sunshine. It was less time consuming that whacking out the hair-dryer, although that was required on the second washing session. Being outside also helped to re-awaken their souls and passions for life. Inhabiting a spacious yet ultimately darkened shed in this kind of weather can result in one or in this case, two lethargic cockerels.
All this hard-work paid off however, as Caesar was awarded first in his class and the Pekin picked up a third prize. Very happy indeed. Long live Chicken Corner’s showing Career, wouldn’t you say?
Until next time, chicks! x
Written: 1st July 2018
