Diet for show chickens

[Searsmom]

My daughter is doing 4H chicks this year and wondered what you feed them a month or two prior to show to make them healthy and glossy? I noticed diet and conditioning are the top two to pay attention to, so any suggestions, details on diet would be helpful.
Thanks!

 

[sylviethecochin]

What sort of chickens? How old? Different breeds and ages have different dietary needs.

 

[Kiki]

What sort of chickens? How old? Different breeds and ages have different dietary needs.

X2 and ages.

 

[Searsmom]

X2 and ages.

Barred rocks and they're 2 weeks old right now. It's not a regular show, it's for 4H, but the idea is to prep the kids for showing in the future and best to do it right. I like to know what I'm getting into so I can plan ahead of time.
All that to explain why I'm worried about diet/condition of birds that won't be shown until August.

 

[Kiki]

Barred rocks and they're 2 weeks old right now. It's not a regular show, it's for 4H, but the idea is to prep the kids for showing in the future and best to do it right. I like to know what I'm getting into so I can plan ahead of time.
All that to explain why I'm worried about diet/condition of birds that won't be shown until August.

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Best thing to feed them is an age appropriate complete balanced poultry feed only.
No treats.

 

[Searsmom]

They're going on free range/grower feed until a month before show. Anything special after that? I see a lot of "supplements" at the co-op for show birds...

 

[Kiki]

They're going on free range/grower feed until a month before show. Anything special after that? I see a lot of "supplements" at the co-op for show birds...

Read the labels of the supplements. Some try to trick you with the name and are nothing more than a complete feed.

Some are great vitamins but aren't meant to be used daily.

I think a once a week multivitamin type one would be good.

 

[sylviethecochin]

https://poultrykeeper.com/articles-on-showing-poultry/tips-and-tricks-for-exhibiting/

It is recommended to up the scratch and corn the week before the show, as this firms up their poop (less messy butt feathers.)

Also, a lot of people don't feed their chickens very much in the morning, day of the show, so that they're more alert and their crops don't bulge.

Keep your show chickens in the shade. I had a Barred Rock bronze almost to grey summer before last. (I don't show, so I just thought it was sort of neat. I was less impressed when my pretty silver OEGb rooster yellowed in the sunlight.)

 

[Searsmom]

https://poultrykeeper.com/articles-on-showing-poultry/tips-and-tricks-for-exhibiting/

Thank you! That was a really good a really good article, it got bookmarked!