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Glad you mentioned this. Down here in FL, they do things a little differently with poultry. Any age bird can be shown, very seldom do you see a same year hatch shown in competition. I believe this is primarily because FL 4-H follows more to ABA/APA rules and not so much in the meat/egg market aspect. Also, what's different about FL 4-H from MN 4-H (been researching all this because that is our goal is to jump right in when we get to MN, my daughter is 9, just finished her 4th yr as a 4-Her), is FL's State Fair comes before many of the county fairs. It's not a culmination or achievement based privilege to be able to show State here. I grew up with MN rules, it was a shock for me to have the state level not viewed as a finale, a privilege to be able to attend. Our state fair happened back in February, followed by the county fair overlapping the end date of the state fair were we had to coop out early for the county fair.
It seems from state to state, 4-H rules for poultry differ. It's always been my desire to see a universal nationwide governing guideline that all states follow, and not nilly willy as is evidence. And talking to others around the country, some states or counties don't even require the bird to be pure bred at all. FL has no breed pen, or trio set up. Kids are allowed 3 birds at the county level, in any combination. In the youth state show, any amount of birds can be shown, and a child doesn't even have to do a record book or participate in the other activites, they can just come in, coop in, skip showmanship (frowned upon but not disallowed altogether) and then coop out with their awards and premiums. County level here in FL, especially in my county, was a lot more intensive than the state fair. Backwards from my perception and I'm sure most everyone else as well.
That's why I suggested that Leigh Ann check with their poultry committee to see just how the birds are judged. Each is different. Too bad we (meaning everyone involved in 4-H nationwide) can't get on the same page so there is universal knowledge to be shared and gained by all. I suppose that's something for the national level power-heads to deal with, not us lowly everyday poultry hobbyists.