Showmanship Clinic

I'm doing a poultry clinic for a local county 4-H fair. What are some of the things you would like to see in a poultry clinic? I'm geared toward getting these kids to show in open competition. I don't want topics to be sugar coated. I believe that the only way to learn is through trial and error which is why I believe in disqualifying a youth's bird to educate them on what they do and do not want.

Teach them about The Standard of Perfection. Show them how to exhibit a bird, like using their fingers to show girth. They should know all the parts of the bird, from comb to hackles and what not. They need to know sportsmanship and be able to identify a sickly chicken. Show them how to check the vent, for mites and injuries. Another important skill for them to learn is picking the best bird from their flock. It would be good for them to know the faults in eggs and carcass abnormalities. Being able to judge dead birds and live ones is a skill that will earn scholarship to agriculture universities in the future. When you teach a class, think of it like you're prepping them to compete at a state competition. If they win, it'll help their resume look nice in the future.

The poultry business has tons and tons of jobs, from avian vets to plant inspectors. There are feed scientists, breeders and neurospecialists. I recommend being harsh on judging and not being afraid of hurting feelings because if they try to show a pet quality bird or a sickly one it'll hurt your program's reputation/invite to the comp next year if you send them to a state comp with a nasty bird. It'll also teach them to be competitive and raise calm, good laying, pet show-worthy chickens.