4-H Showmanship tips please?

[FlCountryGirl]

Thank you so much! Not sure if my sumatra will be ready though.

 

[riftnreef]

It will vary greatly from county to county for 4-h, but generally they will break the birds into classes. Being heavy in the cattle and hog industries where we are, the poultry side of our fair is pretty light so they simply break the birds into a layer class, a meat class, and a "fancy" class. The official 4-h projects are "raising pullets", "raising broilers", and "fancy poultry". Our fancy class is broken into LF cock/hen, LF cockerel/pullet then Bantam cock/hen, and cockerel/pullet. The top two LF and top two Bantam then show in a class of four birds for overall champion. It's not perfect, but when you don't have enough birds to use the normal APA/ABA classes, it works out pretty well. Please contact your 4-h advisor, county poultry committee, or extension office for details about the classes your county has and age requirements for those classes.

The best advice I can give for showmanship is know the bird you are taking up to the table for showmanship inside and out. As a senior you will be expected to not only know all the exterior parts of the bird (wing parts, body parts etc...), but you should also have a good understanding of the reproductive system and digestive system. Be familiar with they laying process, incubation, and chick rearing as well. Be familiar with the APA/ABA classes and a couple birds in each class....you won't have to know everything about them, but at least know what class they are in, what kind of comb they have, etc... Know your five toe breeds (common tie-break question) and other oddballs. Those more obscure questions are usually reserved for tie breaks.

This last part, and I can't stress this enough...when the judge ask you a question, generally he/she is not looking for the shortest possible answer. Showmanship is your time to show off, and they will want to see just how much you know about your birds, so pretty much keep talking until you run out of things to say. Smile, be confident, and look comfortable with what you are doing....best of luck, and please let us know if you have more questions.

Here is a link from MSU for poultry diseases:
http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/dissymp.htm

If you do a web search for chicken wing or body parts you should find some nice diagrams of each...I'm pretty sure if you go to Ohio State University's extension web site, they have some outstanding practice materials for 4-h skill-a-thon and showmanship, but you may have to dig around a bit.

 

[FlCountryGirl]

Thank you riftnreef. You've been very helpful Seems I've got alot of studying to do over the summer.

 

[flytie]

Even though I'm just a junior...I had to know what my birds were tested for, how coccidiosis spreads, proper handling, primary secondary and coverts in the flight feathers, some of the body parts of a chicken, (if hen, laying or not), parts of a feather, what the American Standard of Perfection is, how to tell basic age, and LOTS more.

With the 4H scoring rules, I got a pretty good score for a beginner. Just learn what everyone else told you, this, and how to pose your bird, and you should get close to getting into Round Robbin!

 

[chirpingcricket]

Hi all,

It's been a long time since I've shown chickens and I was wondering if anyone had any info as to what I need to practice with my birds or any knowledge I should acquire. I'm a senior in 4-H and I remembered how much I loved showing when I was younger. Thanks a ton!!

P.S. Will be showing a Blue Sumatra, Golden Laced Wyandotte and Salmon Faverolle.

You know, I've been wondering the same thing here on the Gulf Coast. Just my 4-H days were about sewing, embroidering, cooking, etc. I never knew their was any other option for a girl. Oh well, glad you are in it and "you go girl!"

 

[FlCountryGirl]

Even though I'm just a junior...I had to know what my birds were tested for, how coccidiosis spreads, proper handling, primary secondary and coverts in the flight feathers, some of the body parts of a chicken, (if hen, laying or not), parts of a feather, what the American Standard of Perfection is, how to tell basic age, and LOTS more.

With the 4H scoring rules, I got a pretty good score for a beginner. Just learn what everyone else told you, this, and how to pose your bird, and you should get close to getting into Round Robbin!

Thank you! For the standard of perfection do you mean for your chicken(s) or other breeds as well? I know other members posted other breeds but I suppose it depends on the judge as well.

 

[flytie]

The person who judged us asked about how to get the color blue in an everyday chicken, but not about other breeds. Maybe it's because I'm still classified as a junior...

 

[FlCountryGirl]

Thanks I'll keep that in mind.

 

[BGMatt]

Generally as far as knowledge of the standard goes, when I was young and in 4-H our juniors were expected to know their breed, intermediates were expected to know their class (American, Asiatic, English and so on), seniors...the entire book was fair game. (keep in mind all ages were expected to know basic nomenclature.

 

[FlCountryGirl]

Generally as far as knowledge of the standard goes, when I was young and in 4-H our juniors were expected to know their breed, intermediates were expected to know their class (American, Asiatic, English and so on), seniors...the entire book was fair game. (keep in mind all ages were expected to know basic nomenclature.

Alrighty I will definetly keep that in mind. Thank you for all the help it's greatly appreciated. I'm going to try and get the SOP after school lets out and study my butt off this summer so I can show next february.

Definetly will be handling my chickens everyday or at least every other day so they get used to what I'll need to do. Thanks again for all the wonderful info.