Anyone entering county/state fairs?

[silkiechicken]

I don't enter my birds because 1) risk of disease/paracites, 2) mine free range.

When at the fairs up here, you can see it in the birds eyes and disposition, who has grown up for the show ring versus those who grew up a free spirit and were taken to the fair to be shown for fun.

Mine will get up in the morning and pace their run to get out to free range. They would not be candidates for a 14x14 show cage ever. But a bird grown up used to the handling, accustomed to cages, and not afraid of crowds would be fine.

 

[Crunchie]

I was just discussing this very thing this afternoon with my husband. I'd like to take a few birds to our local fair as a prep for APA shows and to just support the fair itself, which seems to be lacking more and more participation with each passing year. But I'm concerned about parasites/disease and stress on the birds (they have to be there 5 days). So, I really don't know what to do. Maybe I'll just take a few birds that I want to sell (our fair lets you put a for sale sign on the cage through the fair and sell them at the end of the fair), and hope they don't come home with me!

 

[perfectly_polish]

Quote:
Well birds with parasites and diseases should not be shown, so as long as everyone takes responsibility for their birds, making sure they are healthy and don't have mites/lice/etc. the birds should be fine. Just put some mite spray on them before and after the show. If you don't want the bird to be stressed just train them before hand and they should be fine, sometimes they can get stressed at the first show because it's so different for them but usually they just settle in. I would say try it out, it's a lot of work, but a ton of fun. Good luck!

 

[therealsilkiechick]

this will be my 3rd year showing. most breeds do really well in show. ours last for 5 days here. the only nervous ones i've had is a few polish and a few showgirls their first show most however do fine. usually they settle in pretty quick.

as far as diseases it depends. each show and different states require different things. the show books will state different regulations u must follow for each show.

for pa ours have to test negative for AI and PT and have those results with them to bring them on any show property and must be checked before unloading. they must have this current and be 90 days or less clean tested prior to show. we are also required to have ILT vaccinations 30 days prior to a show and have been vaccinated less than a year from open date. if u don't have those 3 and don't sign a owner statement verifying they r clean u cannot show them. everyday they r checked for disease, parasites ect if ur birds at any time show anything they r auto pulled and quaretiened at owner expence.

however some out of state ones only require PT testing clean and no vaccines. i don't take the chance ours r bathed, DE'ed, adam's flea and tick sprayed, PT and AI tested and we also vaccinate for ILT, IB and newcastle disease. most of the flock has also been meraks vaccinated. if mine show anything at all to not be in tip top shape for show even if it is something little i leave them home. most breeders r the same way or should be. i quaretien mine for 45 days once they come home to be safe, i've never had them bring home anything but there is always the chance all it takes is 1 bird. also birds r suppost to be disqualified if they show any signs of disease or paresites.

i also see it from the otherside as well because i'm a liceansed poulty tech i do the bloodwork and banding for exhibition, npip ect here as well so if u have questions about how we do things for show ask and i'll try to help u.

there is shows here like that because they r so busy they don't have time for the birds like they should, i volunteer for those shows if i'm there and me and my family spend the week feeding and careing for the poultry barn. sometimes they can't pay u, i do it for the animals i don't care. usually there is feed left over if so they give u feed left at the end. last year one show we helped out they gave us 150 pounds of feed unopened and during the week any eggs we collected the kid's were allowed to take home to try to hatch. so keep that in mind if u see a show that mabe could use help feeding and watering and pitch in if u can sometimes it's just they need extra help is all.
silkie

 

[dixiechick]

We also show our birds (for kids' 4H), we wash 'em, handle 'em, and train 'em to decrease stress too.

You can also purchase pop-bottle waterers to hang outside the cages at the fair. Google the pop-bottle waterer for birds. It's hangs outside the cage and allows more space for your birds. Our fairs require us to tend to their water/feed daily.

On the day of judging, get there before the judge and spot clean your bird with babywipes, too.

I stay all day everyday with my birds handling, feeding/watering, and checking.