Harrisburg farm show - poultry show... :(

[19hhbelgian]

I went to the farm show today, and was honestly disappointed in the poultry exhibition. There were sick birds, and some that were so pecked on, they shouldn't have been there (what's the point when they look like that?!). One cornish actually had a "frothy" eye!

How could they have left that bird in the complex?? Even my Mom knew it was sick, and she's not a "chicken person". Granted, there were some nice birds there, but it didn't make me want to show my chickens (It actually made me go home and take a shower as soon as I walked in the door). I was hoping learn from the exhibitors at the farm show... Were my expectations too high? Is this a typical poultry show?? I was so excited to be going, even DH wanted to go because he knew how much I wanted to go (otherwise we would've only went for the draft horse pulling competition on tuesday). I also figured there would be someone selling poultry related items, at least one booth with coops and what-not - Unless I missed it, nothing

I had wanted to go to the sussex county show this year (couldn't make it last year), but is it worth the 2 hour drive??

Oh well, maybe someone can shed some light on this for me! Really needed to post this... Still disappointed, but got it off my chest & now feel a little better

 

[Bettacreek]

I'm glad you posted this. It's almost three hours from us, and I don't want to waste a day trip if it's sucky.

 

[19hhbelgian]

Everything else was nice - horses, cows, alpacas... Unfortunately I have 20 horses, some alpacas, some goats... All at home to look at every day of my life, so seeing them at a show isn't anything new. I didn't have a "need" to see those types of animals. if you have kids, They would thoroughly enjoy it, I'm sure - or even if you want to see all the different animals, it would still be good - very impressive long horn cattle. Here's a pic:

and the drafts are always very nice. If you're going specifically for the poultry... I probably wouldn't bother.

This year:
Parking: $10.00
16oz. bottle of soda: $3.00

(I asked the lady if there was something "special" in the Mountain Dew... She didn't get it

)
Pulled pork sandwich: $5.00

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I'm not sure about your area, but no, that's not a general show for poultry.

Local 4H and FFA, yes. But poultry shows that are "open" to the public are generally better than that.

 

[greathorse]

I have not been there for many years but when I attended it was very weak in poultry. We just started the National Western stock show here in Denver and it is one of the largest most well known in the country for almost all species. It is not very strong at all in poultry. Sounds similar to your show there. A few nice local birds but nothing more.

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

I was there yesterday too!

Since I'm from the city, it was fun to see all of the different animals, and dream of having my farm some day. What a crowd there! I had no idea it would be so big.

I was impressed with the number of birds, and there were a handful of real beauties, but I thought some of my hatchery girls were "better" than the ones I was looking at. I don't know anything about standards and so on, but just in terms of health and feathering and color.

There was SO MUCH frostbite on the combs, and I saw plenty of droopy looking birds mixed in with the real winners. I guess you have to quarantine your own birds after an event like that?

It was fun to see the modern games in person. I'm only into LF egglayers at the moment, but when I branch out, I think moderns are in my future!

Is there a Pennsylvania State Fair, or is this instead of a more traditional state fair?

 

[QuailHollow]

I won't speak for anyone, but, I know that one of the exhibitors had a large barn fire 2 days before the show. We helped them coop in Friday night.. They lost a lot of livestock in the fire, and most of the birds they brought will not be going home. They've decided to downsize significantly. Much of what you saw could be a direct relation to this.. and the feathering on some of the birds was ragged due to the heat from the fire. I believe this exhibitor had somewhere around 300 birds to coop-in... Anyway, that's all I really know.

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

QuailHollowP&P :

I won't speak for anyone, but, I know that one of the exhibitors had a large barn fire 2 days before the show. We helped them coop in Friday night.. They lost a lot of livestock in the fire, and most of the birds they brought will not be going home. They've decided to downsize significantly. Much of what you saw could be a direct relation to this.. and the feathering on some of the birds was ragged due to the heat from the fire. I believe this exhibitor had somewhere around 300 birds to coop-in... Anyway, that's all I really know.

Oh that's horrible! I'd be looking pretty run down after a week like that too.

This was my first show, and I was amazed how alert and happy most of them looked. It seems like a stressful experience for an animal, but most seemed alert as can be. I loved all of the crowing- fun to hear since I can't have a rooster.​

 

[19hhbelgian]

Oh man... I'm SO sorry to hear that! If they aren't taking most of them home, what are they planning on doing with them? I'm going back on Tuesday for the draft pulling competition - I could take some home with me if they don't have anywhere to go with them. Let me know if that would help them out at all!

 

[Brody's Broodello]

Hi,
We were at the show yesterday also. The poultry showing was nothing like at a regular show. The stock was a lot of hatchery & 4H birds. we especially looked at the breeds we show. The bantam Wyandottes had the worst tails I have ever seen! They had tails like cochins, rounded off badly! The silkies that were on top, most had split wings. they were so bad you could see the feathers turning up as the birds stood there.Looked like angel wings in geese. The call ducks were huge, the grey that took BB looked like a standard mallard. If you go to a standard APA/ABA show you will definately see Better Quality birds. Sussex is a great show, they have some really top breeders there.