Introduction
If you are here, this most likely means you are getting ready for a chicken show, and are probably pretty excited! Some of the people who will be there will most likely be more experienced than you, and some will be less experienced than you, and that’s okay, because this article is going to show you how to turn your favorite bird into a show ready chicken!
A few days prior - washing your chicken!
The first thing you will need to do is give your chicken a bath! Do this three or four days before the show. You will need:
Soap, I like dawn, but you can use anything as long as it is animal safe
Two buckets big enough to hold a chicken
A hose to help rinse your chickens
Gloves
Epsom salt
To begin fill your buckets with water, try to get it a comfortable temperature, a little warmer than lukewarm. In one bucket, add a little soap and a little Epsom salt, which will make your chickens skin and feathers nice and healthy and soft. Soak your chicken carefully in the water, be sure to fully soak the down feathers. They can be a little tricky! Hold them in there nicely soaked for a few minutes to really let the Epsom salt take effect. Then you can begin washing them. Put gloves on, and add a drop of soap, and carefully begin washing the upper neck. Never go higher than the upper neck. Be careful not to break feathers, and carefully wash your way down to the butt, including the feet.
Now move your chicken into the bucket with only water, and slowly rinse it off with the hose. Make sure you very thoroughly rinse everywhere, getting under the wings. You may have to go over your chicken a few times! Once it is rinsed down, decide on whether your chicken had a pretty poopy vent or not. If it does, grab hair or fabric trimmers and cut off about 3/4 inch of the butt feathers, try to keep it even. Resist the urge to use a shaver, as it is dangerous to use around chickens, due to their fidgeting.
Wrap your chicken in a towel until it is close to being dry, then unwrap it and hold it securely on your lap. Using your fingers, slide the feather between your index finger and thumb, with the intent of bonding the feathers back together. It is not necessary everywhere, mainly on the tail feathers and neck feathers. The chicken should do it everywhere else. Let your chicken go and leave it for a few days.
Day of the show!
On the morning of your show, find your chicken and separate it into a cage, with clean shavings. Grab a wet washcloth and wipe down its feet, nails, comb, and waddles, and spurs if it is a rooster. Personally I like to file down my chicken’s toe nails, but this is optional.
Finishing Touches!
Take some Vaseline, and coat your chicken’s comb with Vaseline. Make sure this is done at least an hour prior to the show. The Vaseline hydrates the comb and will make it shine, but you don’t want the comb to be tacky when the judge checks out your chicken.
If needed, bond the feathers again.
Conclusion
You have successfully gotten your chicken ready for the show! Now all that’s left to do is strut in the show with confidence, an wow the judges with your incredible chicken! Best of luck!
If you are here, this most likely means you are getting ready for a chicken show, and are probably pretty excited! Some of the people who will be there will most likely be more experienced than you, and some will be less experienced than you, and that’s okay, because this article is going to show you how to turn your favorite bird into a show ready chicken!
A few days prior - washing your chicken!
The first thing you will need to do is give your chicken a bath! Do this three or four days before the show. You will need:
Soap, I like dawn, but you can use anything as long as it is animal safe
Two buckets big enough to hold a chicken
A hose to help rinse your chickens
Gloves
Epsom salt
To begin fill your buckets with water, try to get it a comfortable temperature, a little warmer than lukewarm. In one bucket, add a little soap and a little Epsom salt, which will make your chickens skin and feathers nice and healthy and soft. Soak your chicken carefully in the water, be sure to fully soak the down feathers. They can be a little tricky! Hold them in there nicely soaked for a few minutes to really let the Epsom salt take effect. Then you can begin washing them. Put gloves on, and add a drop of soap, and carefully begin washing the upper neck. Never go higher than the upper neck. Be careful not to break feathers, and carefully wash your way down to the butt, including the feet.
Now move your chicken into the bucket with only water, and slowly rinse it off with the hose. Make sure you very thoroughly rinse everywhere, getting under the wings. You may have to go over your chicken a few times! Once it is rinsed down, decide on whether your chicken had a pretty poopy vent or not. If it does, grab hair or fabric trimmers and cut off about 3/4 inch of the butt feathers, try to keep it even. Resist the urge to use a shaver, as it is dangerous to use around chickens, due to their fidgeting.
Wrap your chicken in a towel until it is close to being dry, then unwrap it and hold it securely on your lap. Using your fingers, slide the feather between your index finger and thumb, with the intent of bonding the feathers back together. It is not necessary everywhere, mainly on the tail feathers and neck feathers. The chicken should do it everywhere else. Let your chicken go and leave it for a few days.
Day of the show!
On the morning of your show, find your chicken and separate it into a cage, with clean shavings. Grab a wet washcloth and wipe down its feet, nails, comb, and waddles, and spurs if it is a rooster. Personally I like to file down my chicken’s toe nails, but this is optional.
Finishing Touches!
Take some Vaseline, and coat your chicken’s comb with Vaseline. Make sure this is done at least an hour prior to the show. The Vaseline hydrates the comb and will make it shine, but you don’t want the comb to be tacky when the judge checks out your chicken.
If needed, bond the feathers again.
Conclusion
You have successfully gotten your chicken ready for the show! Now all that’s left to do is strut in the show with confidence, an wow the judges with your incredible chicken! Best of luck!
