Any advice on early preparations for the next shows?

[Amelise]

This year, I’m going to be a senior showperson for exhibition and showmanship in the upcoming junior competitions.
I have purebred Ameraucanas, which I showed last year when they were very young pullets.
This year, they are going to be hens, and I don’t have much experience with preparing hens (because they have been spending quite a bit of time outside and have some effects of aging showing like dry leg scales and haven’t had their big molt yet.)
At this point, I’m not quite sure how the conditions of their feathers will be before the show (like if they’re going to molt right before or at showtime or not.)
How soon before their show should I separate them from the flock and start prep?
I’m also wondering if I should be giving them some baths throughout the summer to prevent them from gathering too much dirt. They are hens but have little spur stubs that are pretty significant. Should I grind them down when I trim their nails ? Should I be consistently putting Vaseline on their legs to prevent the dry scales? How soon (is it two months?) should I start preparing for their first show as hens? I need advice! Thanks in advance.

TLDR:
I need advice on when to and how to start early prep for showing my Ameraucanas in the upcoming junior competitions (around December and the new year).
Should I still be bathing them, even though it’s months before the show? When should I separate them from the flock? They are hens, should I grind down their tiny spur stubs? Should I be putting Vaseline on their legs l? (They have flaking and dry scales.) Thanks!

 

[Bertram]

If there is a rooster in with them I would remove him to let the feathers grow back. If you can find game bird feed you can mix some of that in with there regular feed to help promote feather growth. Don't touch the spur bumps.
Their scales don't look to bad to me so I would leave them. 4-5 days before the show is bath time if they are dirty. Make sure you clean the feet, beard and muffs, and face really well and trim nails and beaks. When you get to the fair you can put baby oil or VetRx on the comb and wattles to help with color. If you are in charge of bedding make sure there is a lot in the cage. It helps keep them clean.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@Amer

 

[Amelise]

If there is a rooster in with them I would remove him to let the feathers grow back. If you can find game bird feed you can mix some of that in with there regular feed to help promote feather growth. Don't touch the spur bumps.
Their scales don't look to bad to me so I would leave them. 4-5 days before the show is bath time if they are dirty. Make sure you clean the feet, beard and muffs, and face really well and trim nails and beaks. When you get to the fair you can put baby oil or VetRx on the comb and wattles to help with color. If you are in charge of bedding make sure there is a lot in the cage. It helps keep them clean.

Thankfully, I don’t have a rooster. However, they get to go free range every day. Last year, I kept them in the garage in large crates to train them for the show.
Should I start crate-ing them a month or two before the show? Or spare them the boredom and only make it a week or two before the show?