How do you tell if a chicken is show quality?

[Oregon Blues]

Treat for bugs a week before the show. Then check again right before going and if there are any lice, treat again before bathing.

The 4-H birds have to be taken out of the cage and shown and the youth handler must answer questions. The open division, the judge just judges in the cage and the owner doesn't have to be there.

At the last fair I was at, the judge wrote "poor quality" or "wrong leg color" or something similar on the cage cards of poor quality birds. Then that hangs on the cage for everyone to see for the entire time the birds are there. To me, that would be humiliating. I don't know how your children would feel about it.

On the positive side, you should get free passes to the fair, in order to care for your birds, and I had an excellent time, going to free concerts, seeing all the shows and the rodeo every day.

If your children like the experience, show birds are really cheap in comparison to any other type of animal you might want to show. A really good $50 chicken is a bargain compared to a really good $30,000 show horse or a $1600 show dog.

(not to give the wrong impression: I didn't embarrass myself. My Pomeranian won Champion Goose and Grand Champion Waterfowl. Very nice to spend the entire fair with that huge purple ribbon fastened to her cage.)

 

[NicInNC]

I called the fair and being as we have never done this before and have no clue how to tell if one of our chickens is "show quality", they are putting them in the "Children's Pets" category.

She said that will give the girls chance to show off their chickens and also give us chance to talk to some people that could educate us about showing chickens.

 

[pdbantam]

Perhaps a dumb question but...do chickens need registration papers like other livestock?

 

[NYREDS]

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No, there is no regitration process for poultry.

 

[AZBootsie]

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Excellent!! Sounds like the kids will have a fantastic time!!

 

[CowgirlJules]

My son showed with 4H for the first time this year. I thought we had a decent Silver Laced Wyandotte, but he turned out not to be. But the judge was extremely gracious, and when he was done judging, he took the time to come over and ask my son if he had any questions. He explained what he was looking for and how our bird didn't fit it, and things to look for in a bird for next year. It was really interesting and my son handled it really well. We'll be doing it again.

 

[Alexis]

Showing chickens for breed is one of the best things our kids have done af fair. The first year we were hesitant, and only showed three. One of them ended up being on the final table for best of show! It was such a surprise. This last year, we threw all caution (and worry) right out the window and added fourteen different chickens and it was SO great! The kids learned a TON (and so did I), plus my 8 yr old son's rooster came home with a champion trophy that not in a million years were we expecting! Go for it, but most of all have fun and take notes

 

[artsy1]

I would definetly enter, just for the experience. Kids will never forget it, and it will be fun.
Who cares if you win?

 

[NicInNC]

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No, there is no regitration process for poultry.

I had to pay a 50 cents registration fee and fill out a registration paper. They also have to be tested for Pullorum-Typhoid. They do that at the fair the day that we drop them off.

 

[NicInNC]

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That's great! I'm hoping we'll learn a lot and can hopefully enter several next year. That might mean having to buy a few "show quality" chickens. I don't think DH would notice a few more, do you?