How do you tell if a chicken is show quality?

[NicInNC]

My daughters want to enter some of our chickens into the local fair. I've entered one of our silkies and a Mille Fleur d'uccle. I really don't think our silkie is show quality. Do I still let the girls enter it? What's the worst that can happen...we make a fool out of ourselves?

Here are the two they want to enter:

 

[Ozchicken]

There's a lot to be learnt from preparing and presenting a bird for show regardless of the quality. The most horrible thing that can happen to people at shows here is if their bird is found to have lice or be sick because then they get immediately removed from the shed by the chief steward. Always make sure they do not have parasites and never enter a sick bird. Aside from that it's all about learning. If the bird has bad faults or doesn't meet the standard it could get disqualified. So what. You'll still have great day and see a pile of interesting birds. It's always good to be familiar with the relevant breed standard. Grab a copy of that and see how close your bird is.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Treat for bugs a week before the show. Then check again right before going and if there are any lice, treat again before bathing.

The 4-H birds have to be taken out of the cage and shown and the youth handler must answer questions. The open division, the judge just judges in the cage and the owner doesn't have to be there.

At the last fair I was at, the judge wrote "poor quality" or "wrong leg color" or something similar on the cage cards of poor quality birds. Then that hangs on the cage for everyone to see for the entire time the birds are there. To me, that would be humiliating. I don't know how your children would feel about it.

On the positive side, you should get free passes to the fair, in order to care for your birds, and I had an excellent time, going to free concerts, seeing all the shows and the rodeo every day.

If your children like the experience, show birds are really cheap in comparison to any other type of animal you might want to show. A really good $50 chicken is a bargain compared to a really good $30,000 show horse or a $1600 show dog.

(not to give the wrong impression: I didn't embarrass myself. My Pomeranian won Champion Goose and Grand Champion Waterfowl. Very nice to spend the entire fair with that huge purple ribbon fastened to her cage.)

 

[NicInNC]

I called the fair and being as we have never done this before and have no clue how to tell if one of our chickens is "show quality", they are putting them in the "Children's Pets" category.

She said that will give the girls chance to show off their chickens and also give us chance to talk to some people that could educate us about showing chickens.

 

[NicInNC]

Quote:
Thanks for the advice. Our chickens had mites a while back, but thanks to a major cleaning out of the coop and run and also the local feed store getting DE, we're all clear now. I've bathed the chickens, clipped nails (I do that frequently anyways), and lathered their feet up with vasoline to help get rid of the last few scales left.

I'm gonna run out and see if I can get some pics real quick...maybe that would help...

 

[NicInNC]

BTW...be honest about the pics. Should I just forget entering them? I KNOW my silkie isn't show quality, but they want to enter her. If they're going to DQ, would they do it before we enter them?

 

[RhodeRunner]

I don't know a thing about Mottled D'Uccles (Mille Fluer is a different color), but she sure is cute. As for the Silkie it isn't a very good bird. Chances of it winning are next to zero, but it may not be Disqualified. Disqualifications include bright red comb, face, and wattles. Shanks not feathered down the outer sides. Feathers not truly silkie (except in primaries, secondaries, let, toe, and main tail feathers.) Vulture hawks.

Good luck!

 

[NicInNC]

Thanks RhodeRunner. I should have made them enter my Barred Rock. She's a very pretty bird with perfect legs, comb, etc. She's our prettiest chicken we own. It's too late to change the breed. Oh well. Next year....

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

I've been to a couple local poultry shows, and check #1 is for bugs & illness. If they pass, they go to caging. That is where the judges decide who the winners are. My OEGB's get DQ'd every show, because I don't dub them. Oh well. The kids still have fun. They don't care if they have a DQ on their scorecard. And I"m not going in hopes of any ribbons, so nobody leaves disappointed.

 

[NicInNC]

Quote:
Well then, I'm just gonna go ahead and enter them now! I'm not looking for any ribbons. I know we won't get any with the 2 they picked. Heck, we'll at least get free admission into the fair by entering them!