Hi there,
I have never shown chickens before but I have three hens that I would love to get an opinion on. I also would love to get any thoughts as to preparing them for a show. We had to replace our laying hens last year so we ordered six different breeds from My Pet Chicken. Any answers are greatly appreciated. If there is another, similar, thread, please forgive me for not finding it.
-My three possible show hens are a Sussex, a Delaware, and a Blue Andalusian. (I also have a Welsummer, an Australorp and two Easter Eggers but I am not sure they would stand out as much at the fair). I will provide pictures once the sun comes out this afternoon (we are chilly and overcast right now).
-Do you think they would be eligible to be shown at our local fair (Clay County) even though we ordered them from a big hatchery? Or do people usually purchase show chickens from private breeders?
-They were vaccinated as day old chicks this past summer but what other vaccines do they need (our fair is in April)?
-Are there any good books that can help me prepare them? I have no clue, for example, how one would bathe a chicken. I could trim their nails myself. Any other grooming that needs to be done?
-The girls will be about nine months old, is this a good age to show them?
-I am assuming I will need to quarantine them when I bring them home in case they pick up anything at the fair but are there preventive measures I can take? How long should I quarantine them?
-Are plastic numbered bands good enough or do I need to put special bands on them to show them?
-The show rules say that the birds will be tested for pullorum-typhoid before the fair starts unless they are from a certified pullorum-typhoid free hatchery. Is this something I can get from the hatchery if I contact them?
-They also need to be free of lice and mites. I have never seen lice or mites on our birds but show I dust them just in case?
Again, many thanks to anyone kind enough to answer these questions. I hope this post isn't tedious.
I'll be back with pictures!
I have never shown chickens before but I have three hens that I would love to get an opinion on. I also would love to get any thoughts as to preparing them for a show. We had to replace our laying hens last year so we ordered six different breeds from My Pet Chicken. Any answers are greatly appreciated. If there is another, similar, thread, please forgive me for not finding it.
-My three possible show hens are a Sussex, a Delaware, and a Blue Andalusian. (I also have a Welsummer, an Australorp and two Easter Eggers but I am not sure they would stand out as much at the fair). I will provide pictures once the sun comes out this afternoon (we are chilly and overcast right now).
-Do you think they would be eligible to be shown at our local fair (Clay County) even though we ordered them from a big hatchery? Or do people usually purchase show chickens from private breeders?
-They were vaccinated as day old chicks this past summer but what other vaccines do they need (our fair is in April)?
-Are there any good books that can help me prepare them? I have no clue, for example, how one would bathe a chicken. I could trim their nails myself. Any other grooming that needs to be done?
-The girls will be about nine months old, is this a good age to show them?
-I am assuming I will need to quarantine them when I bring them home in case they pick up anything at the fair but are there preventive measures I can take? How long should I quarantine them?
-Are plastic numbered bands good enough or do I need to put special bands on them to show them?
-The show rules say that the birds will be tested for pullorum-typhoid before the fair starts unless they are from a certified pullorum-typhoid free hatchery. Is this something I can get from the hatchery if I contact them?
-They also need to be free of lice and mites. I have never seen lice or mites on our birds but show I dust them just in case?
Again, many thanks to anyone kind enough to answer these questions. I hope this post isn't tedious.
I'll be back with pictures!
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