Soap Flakes and Show Bird Preparation

From: Northern Tasmainia....
http://northerntasmania.yourguide.com.au/printerFriendlyPage.asp?story_id=1245806

We've had people buy Soap Flakes to wash their chickens, but I never really knew
the whole reason why.

This article from Northern Tasmania covers what goes on at poultry shows...for those who are interested of course....

"....The look is everything. Patterson says washing a chook is "quite easy", the main thing is to make sure they are thoroughly dried. Many people used "good old" Lux soap flakes.

"They'll give them a really good wash a fortnight out and then another gentle wash three or four days prior to the show so they're absolutely at their peak for the show," he said. "They've all got their secret little ointments they put on their comb to make it nice and red and the legs to make them nice and yellow or white or whatever colour. They all walk around with their silk rags wiping the feathers off to keep them nice and shiny."

And the results are truly stunning. There's the perfect lace-like effect of the feathers of the silver-laced wyandotte. The lustrous fancy tails of a rosecomb black cockerel. The simple charm of the pekin duck. The araucana who lay blue-tinged eggs. The white fluffiness of a silkie white hen..."