How to keep them Pretty?

[PotatoChicken]

I show chickens at the fair and have shown a feather footed the first time this year. IT WAS A DISASTER. Her feathers on her feat were torn and she they were all dirty in her cage, I got 32 out of around 40 (

)!!! I normaly get in the top 5 at least. Can anyone help me? Booties or something? I'm also showing a pair of Japenese bantys. Can anyone help me there?Thanx.
-Potato

 

[Narragansett]

Keeping them in good feather condition relies on two main things, keeping them clean, on dry shavings, and not overcrowding them. In some cases depending on your flock dynamics, it may even require housing your show birds individually to keep them in good show condition. This is of course an oversimplification. Good diet, external parasite control and other management issues go into it as well. For help with keeping your birds in show condition, attend a real, APA/ABA sanctioned show and talk to the exhibitors there, specifically those who have the same breed(s) as you for any ideas specific to your breed. You're unlikely to find the advice that you need at a fair show, unless some of the management happen to also be APA/ABA exhibitors.