First Show Help Please?

[OHWVKY]

So say someone who is completely crazy and has no idea what they're doing, just decided to last minute enter the Ohio Nationals.. Would anyone here be able to help guide a newbie? Please

 

[sourland]

Cage train your birds, make sure they are clean and parasite free, quarantine when they come home, have fun. Oh yeah, Good Luck.

 

[BantyChooks]

Agree with what sour said. Get testing done for PT and have papers available at gate. Buy a copy of the SOP, compare prospective birds to standard and take the ones closest.

 

[Poultrybreeder]

As far as preparing your birds. I would recommend giving them cod-liver oil vitamins, and I use and adult multi-vitamin pill on mine everyday. Between the two, it makes their feathers really shiny and soft, as well as making the birds act better in general. You may have to force feed the vitamins, just open their beak, and pop them in one at a time, allowing the bird to swallow in between. My chickens always make me have to do that with them. I start about 4-6 weeks before, unless you don't have time, then just do what you can for the time being. Make sure to rub vaseline on their faces and shanks, then get a towl and rub it off again (if you don't, dirt and stuff sticks to the vaseline, making it look bad). It makes their faces really red, and shanks really shiny. I entered two chickens using this method (and a duck and pheasant, but I didn't use it on them) in my county fair, and one chicken got 1st, the other one didn't place because she had an extra point growing on the side of her comb, I didn't notice until right when I put her in the cage (oops). I hope this helps!

 

[JedJackson]

You can make the preparations as easy or difficult as you like but the main thing is that the birds are clean and free of lice, mites or any other parasites. Personally all I ever did was to wash & dry the birds a day before bringing them into shows and I did pretty well. They should be comfortable in confinement, so if they are not train them by keeping them in cages for a few days. And as BantyChooks said, make sure to read the rules of the show and if your birds have to be tested for disease to enter a show make sure it is done well in advance and make sure you have the paperwork to prove it on you when you bring in your birds.

 

[Silkiesarefluffydinos]

I'm a newbie at showing myself, having entered twould silkies in the state fair was really hectic at the,day I was supposed to drop them off (but both birds won 1st place and Im picking them up today!!) But like everyone said, make sure your bird is well groomed, no dirt under claws, no broKen or discolored featers, and they must be taught to be held without squirming at all. They can't be over or under weight either. I hope that helps at all.

 

[BantyChooks]

As far as preparing your birds. I would recommend giving them cod-liver oil vitamins, and I use and adult multi-vitamin pill on mine everyday. Between the two, it makes their feathers really shiny and soft, as well as making the birds act better in general. You may have to force feed the vitamins, just open their beak, and pop them in one at a time, allowing the bird to swallow in between. My chickens always make me have to do that with them. I start about 4-6 weeks before, unless you don't have time, then just do what you can for the time being. Make sure to rub vaseline on their faces and shanks, then get a towl and rub it off again (if you don't, dirt and stuff sticks to the vaseline, making it look bad). It makes their faces really red, and shanks really shiny. I entered two chickens using this method (and a duck and pheasant, but I didn't use it on them) in my county fair, and one chicken got 1st, the other one didn't place because she had an extra point growing on the side of her comb, I didn't notice until right when I put her in the cage (oops). I hope this helps!

Bummer on the hen with sprigs. Them's sneaky things.

I'm a newbie at showing myself, having entered twould silkies in the state fair was really hectic at the,day I was supposed to drop them off (but both birds won 1st place and Im picking them up today!!) But like everyone said, make sure your bird is well groomed, no dirt under claws, no broKen or discolored featers, and they must be taught to be held without squirming at all. They can't be over or under weight either. I hope that helps at all.

Yep, over 20% off of standard is a DQ.

 

[MrsChicky55]

Be sure to let us know how it goes & share some pics please!

 

[OHWVKY]

Thanks everyone! We have entered a couple of black Bantam Cochin and our 3 khaki Campbell ducks.

 

[MrsChicky55]

Thanks everyone! We have entered a couple of black Bantam Cochin and our 3 khaki Campbell ducks.

Fingers Crossed!