Is 16 weeks too young to show??

[Eggcellent Adventure]

Thanks! I think I will wait until next year's fair show for them. This is our first year entering a local show and very excited, but SO much to learn! Thanks to this board, learning a lot. We have 2 older Jersey Giants (from a breeder) that we are planning to enter - a good age, but will wait on the welsummers. Good to hear about the differences though in the large/bantam.

 

[joe17]

It depends on the bird to me. If at 16 weeks old the chicken looks showable, I will show them. If at that age they look too young, I won't. Its not so much as age but more of the development level that a specific chicken is on. I have some silkies that look like adults at a very young age and I also have some that take a long time to look showable.

 

[southernsickles]

All we show are bantams but I have never shown one that young.Even if they do appear to be grown they just dont have the bodies that they will have later.Our pullets are usually right at 6 months old before they are ready to show.One of our male lines does not show at their best until their second year.

 

[joe17]

Quote:
Of course they dont have the bodies they will have later on because they arent fully matured. They arent at their best but that doesnt mean they still dont look good enough at that point to show.

 

[southernsickles]

Anything can be shown.But not everything should be shown.It's just my own opinion but if they are not ready I'm not going to the trouble of taking them to a show.If it is someone just getting started and wanting to get the experience then maybe you could show them early.Just saying that 16 weeks is very young.