I need suggestions for poultry showmanship!

[talkinboutchickens]

Hello everyone!
I am looking forward to showing my birds this year at the poultry show, and I've done research already but I need suggestions from you guys about everything- showing them, and getting them ready. I do have a few questions:
What product do you use for making the feathers shiny?
Can I show a really big chicken?
How do you measure a chicken's pubic bones and breast?
Do you know of any helpful resources?
Does it have to be a laying hen?
Can the roo have missing points on his comb?

Thank you!

 

[getaclue]

I hate to assume, so we'll start with your stock. Did you buy SOP eggs, or stock to begin with? If not, that's where you will want to start, whether they are up to the show standards, or not.

You might want to start by attending at least 1 APA sanctioned show. This will give you more of an idea of the standards for your breed, and more about how showing is done.

https://amerpoultryassn.com/ Do some reading, but I wouldn't join until you're sure your birds are S.O.P., and you want to show them.

https://www.poultryshowcentral.com/Breeding_to_the_Standard.html There are links here to photos, etc.

Once you have SOP stock, you will want the 45th. Standard Of Perfection book. The APA says they are out of stock, but Amazon has it. https://www.amazon.com/American-Poultry-Association-Standard-Perfection/dp/B0CM2Z4QFD

As to "Can I show a really big chicken?" As long as it's part of the Standard.

To register your birds for a show:
Roosters = 1 year old, or older
Cockerels = Less than a year old
Hen = 1 year old, or older
Pullet = Less than a year old
Trio = 1 cockerel or rooster and 2 pullets, or hens.

You will work with your birds from the time their young, fully hands on, so they will be used to being handled, and so you can easily perform the prep work on them for the show. They can't be flighty, or hard to handle. You will also want to train them so they're comfortable in a show cage. This is done in short spurts over time, so they get used to it.

When you get closer to being ready to show, contact me on here, and I'll be glad to share how to transport, clean, manicure, condition, etc., and what to take to the show, so they will be at optimum for the show.

 

[getaclue]

No, normally you may not wash them there, nor do you want to. They won't have warmish water, and spa time is to be a comfortable experience for the bird. I forgot to mention, you take small binder clips, 2 per bird, and solo cups, at least 2 per cage, and pine shavings.

Back to the bottles of water. Sometimes the shows don't have water available for them, so you have to provide your own. You use 2 solo cups, per bird. One for feed, and one for water, then secure them to the cage with the binder clips. You will make sure their water is topped off, before you leave for the night, then again in the morning for the judging. The second reason you want a bit of water, is so you can clean inside their toenails if they step in the pooh. First, put in fresh shavings, then you dip the soft toothbrush into a cup of water, and do a quickie clean. The baby wipes will clean mostly anything else that gets soiled. It's pretty easy peasy, because the birds are already clean. If the show does have water, some of the exhibitors will be lined up to use it for watering their birds. You don't want to hold up the line. To me, has always been easier to carry my own.

Again, go to a show, or two so you can learn, before you attempt showing.

 

[Amer]

What product do you use for making the feathers shiny?
People often use pink sheen spray
I don’t bother, good diet and a good wash are enough for my birds.
Can I show a really big chicken?
If you have great confidence in your strength and circulation to hold said bird during showmanship.
How do you measure a chicken's pubic bones and breast? How many fingers between pubic bones (the bones on either side of the vent) and feel the breast muscle on the front of the bird.
To measure body depth (on all but the smallest birds) put your pointer fingers together on the keel in front of the thighs and grasp the bird, testing how much your thumbs cross over the back (or don’t cross in big ones.)
Do you know of any helpful resources?
http://www.youthexhibitionpoultry.org/

Does it have to be a laying hen?
No

Can the roo have missing points on his comb?
Yes
But it must be called a cock or a cockerel, not a “roo.”

 

[getaclue]

I am not a judge, and unless it's an exceptional bird, even judges won't judge from a picture. If it's a 4-H project, the kids will be asked to hold their birds properly to show them. If you're showing as an adult, the judges will open the cage, take out the bird, examine it, then return it to the cage. The do this with each bird.

Bathing: Get 3 totes, a plastic cup, a small toothbrush, and enough large towels to dry, and wrap them in. Put enough warmish water into each, that the chicken can sit/lay down without it totally covering their back. To the first, add a little Dawn Blue Dishwashing liquid, like for washing dishes. To the second, add about 1/2 a tsp. of vinegar. The third will be plain water. When you first put the bird in the water, it will probably go a bit berserk, but they quickly settle down, and sit down. They actually LIKE their spa time. Let the bird soak in the warmish soapy water, but don't get any soap in the eyes. Feel around it's vent, so that any pooh softens, and comes off. Use the cup to pour a little water on the back, under the wings, and up the neck, without getting it into the bird's eyes. Just before you go to put them into the vinegar rinse, use the soft toothbrush to clean any debris from their feet, their toenails, and leg scales.

Next, put it into the vinegar rinse, using the cup as you did before. It doesn't have to stay in long. Finish up by putting the bird into the plain water for the final rinse. Make sure it's rinsed well. Now, lift the bird onto a towel, set the bird down on the towel, and wrap the towel around it, sort of like a burrito. By now, the bird should be calm, and happily stay wrapped in the towel. Get new warm soapy water, and proceed to the next bird. Rinse, repeat. While they are calm, and relaxed in their towel, trim toenails, and spurs as needed.

The next step depends on how long it will be before you show them. If you're cleaning them a couple days, or more before showing, skip this step for now, and do it when you get to the show. If you're going to show them the next day, take a little Vaseline, and rub it into their comb, on their beak, on their legs, and on their toenails/spurs. Take the time to let the Vaseline warm in you hand, and make it a very thin layer, taking time to rub it in gently. You don't want it too greasy, or dirt sticking to it. You only want the little extra sheen, and suppleness that it lends.

Things to take to the show. Bottled water, soft toothbrush, lots of wipes, Vaseline, plastic cup.

 

[getaclue]

Not lots, but until covid I was showing. They have 2 APA sanctioned shows here, per year.

 

[getaclue]

One more thing I found helpful, I usually take a pair of surgical type gloves. While many just reach in, and grab the soiled pine shavings, then go wash their hands, I prefer to put on a surgical type glove, then remove it after I take out the soiled shavings.

 

[getaclue]

That's a great idea!
When you wash the chickens what is the vinegar and second tub used for and do you use a blow dryer to dry them off with or let them dry naturally?

Dawn Blue dish liquid cleans good, and is gentle, however the pH is a bit alkaline. The vinegar water removes any soap residue leaving the feathers sparkling clean, and restores the pH balance to the skin/feathers. The final rinse removes the vinegar. The final rinse is very important, so don't skip it. As to using a blow dryer, that depends on the feather type. A blow dryer on a medium heat setting (don't overheat the chicken) is fine for fluffy feathered birds. If you have flat smooth feathers, you want to towel dry in the direction of the feathers, multiple times, even getting a fresh dry towel, if needed, so the feathers dry flat, and smooth.

 

[getaclue]

You should be handling her almost every day. Before you enter her, go to at least 1 show, and learn what you can.

 

[tranquiliti]

Hello everyone!
I am looking forward to showing my birds this year at the poultry show, and I've done research already but I need suggestions from you guys about everything- showing them, and getting them ready.

If I could go back in time, I would join 4H or FFA.

Having been homeschooled as a youngster (except for the final year, spent in a public high school: 0/10 would not recommend )—I had the perception that if I needed to know something then I would look it up. Why would I need to spend time in a room full of other young people who may not know much, either?
Wrong assumption. I could’ve learned a lot!

Hopefully some other folks will chip in to help.