JUDA - Thirteen-year-old Tim Allen and his first cousin Tara Allen, 18, were planning for the worst Wednesday, in preparation for the Green County Fair.
They were trying their hand at washing chickens.
"We're not exactly sure what we're doing," Tara said, with a laugh.
Next to the sunny south side of Rod and Lisa Allen's barn, the teens had placed two large plastic storage tubs and filled them with warm water. One tub got a squirt of dishwashing liquid.
Tim picked up one large white, Cornish rooster from inside the barn, and placed him in the tub of warm, soapy water, bobbing him a few times to loosen the grim from his breast. He looked up and grinned.
Amazingly, the rooster didn't try to fight his way out. It seemed to be enjoying the heated pool experience.
"We've been handling them before," Tim said, explaining the calm nature of his chicken.
Even thought the rooster wasn't fighting, Tim was reluctant to let go, and his brother Troy, 15, stepped in to help hold the fowl.
Because of the matted grime on the chicken's under side, Tim and Tara had to get their hands down in the water and scrub with their fingertips. They also used a plastic cup to scoop and pour water over the chicken's back.
The water soon turned brown, indicating their efforts were working.
Tim said the roosters were purchased as fuzzy yellow baby chicks in early May from Ken's Agri-Services in Monroe. They now weigh about 12 pounds each. Tim has been feeding them 50 pounds of feed a week.
They must not go over 15 pounds to qualify for the fair judging.
"A couple days ago I started mixing in cracked corn, so they don't get so much protein," Tim said.
When the wash was complete, Troy moved the rooster to the other tub, filled with fresh water, for the rinse. Again fingertips and the plastic cup helped.
The roosters are one of Tim's project for his first year in FFA.
Troy, now in his second year, said he and Tim joined FFA because Tara and her sisters told them how much fun it was. Tara joined FFA in the seventh grade.
Tara and Tim will each show two roosters at the Green County Fair next week. The birds will be weighed in and kept at the Pavilion until judging Friday.
Tara said the judges will look for the uniformity of the pair, among other things.
Chickens don't shake, like dogs do, to disperse the water from their feathers.
The first rooster preferred to just sit in the sun in the small cage where he was placed.
For the second rooster's bath, Tim's mother, Lisa, came out with a terry bath towel, and both roosters got a blot-dry.
With the excess water removed, both cocks were starting to dry in the sun and preening their feathers again.
They were looking much whiter and a bit more handsome, but they still preferred to sit than to strut.
They were trying their hand at washing chickens.
"We're not exactly sure what we're doing," Tara said, with a laugh.
Next to the sunny south side of Rod and Lisa Allen's barn, the teens had placed two large plastic storage tubs and filled them with warm water. One tub got a squirt of dishwashing liquid.
Tim picked up one large white, Cornish rooster from inside the barn, and placed him in the tub of warm, soapy water, bobbing him a few times to loosen the grim from his breast. He looked up and grinned.
Amazingly, the rooster didn't try to fight his way out. It seemed to be enjoying the heated pool experience.
"We've been handling them before," Tim said, explaining the calm nature of his chicken.
Even thought the rooster wasn't fighting, Tim was reluctant to let go, and his brother Troy, 15, stepped in to help hold the fowl.
Because of the matted grime on the chicken's under side, Tim and Tara had to get their hands down in the water and scrub with their fingertips. They also used a plastic cup to scoop and pour water over the chicken's back.
The water soon turned brown, indicating their efforts were working.
Tim said the roosters were purchased as fuzzy yellow baby chicks in early May from Ken's Agri-Services in Monroe. They now weigh about 12 pounds each. Tim has been feeding them 50 pounds of feed a week.
They must not go over 15 pounds to qualify for the fair judging.
"A couple days ago I started mixing in cracked corn, so they don't get so much protein," Tim said.
When the wash was complete, Troy moved the rooster to the other tub, filled with fresh water, for the rinse. Again fingertips and the plastic cup helped.
The roosters are one of Tim's project for his first year in FFA.
Troy, now in his second year, said he and Tim joined FFA because Tara and her sisters told them how much fun it was. Tara joined FFA in the seventh grade.
Tara and Tim will each show two roosters at the Green County Fair next week. The birds will be weighed in and kept at the Pavilion until judging Friday.
Tara said the judges will look for the uniformity of the pair, among other things.
Chickens don't shake, like dogs do, to disperse the water from their feathers.
The first rooster preferred to just sit in the sun in the small cage where he was placed.
For the second rooster's bath, Tim's mother, Lisa, came out with a terry bath towel, and both roosters got a blot-dry.
With the excess water removed, both cocks were starting to dry in the sun and preening their feathers again.
They were looking much whiter and a bit more handsome, but they still preferred to sit than to strut.