Its all your fault... you have all made me a chicken snob! LOL

[Dar]

I went to the local county fair tonight and holy cow am I a chicken snob!

some of the first prize winners were NASTY!... They had lifted scales, no toes, overgrown nails and some eyes looked a little swollen.. Even my 8yr old daughter picked up on these things.

The first place winning polish was special all right... head was cocked and was walking in circles. everyone was laughing that she was "chasing her tail like a dog"

one of the 3rd place winners, her head was picked almost bald

I was trying to get pictures but the battery on my blackberry died...i think next year we will enter some of ours in the show and see how we make out..

 

[ibpboo]

Last time DH and I went to the fair, he said the same thing, tht my chickens were much better looking, and that I should enter them.

 

[AllAlaskan]

I know what you meen, this year at the Alaska State Fair in palmer some one had entered a African Grey goose that got first place and just looked horrible and scared to death. My goose looked ALOT healthier and much bigger (she was only 3 months old when we went to the fair too btw) than this one. Got me to thinking, I think I want to try to hatch some chicks next spring and enter some into the Fair next year just for fun.

 

[debilorrah]

Darlene I experienced that SAME thing at our Fair in May. My chickens look FAR better than the supposed prize chickens did. Makes me feel better about entering mine next year. Elmer is a right fine white crested black polish and Big Mouth is a great looking Blue Wheaten Americauna roo!

 

[shelleyd2008]

I think what you all need to keep in mind is that 'fair' chickens are usually not 'show' chickens. I doubt any of the 'big' showers bother with the county fairs unless they are sanctioned

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Yes that is true, but Dar was describing chickens in poor health or poor living conditions (no toenails comes from living in a cage right? pecked heads comes from overcrowding, usually). Honestly I wouldn't be in such a big hurry to get my birds over there.
Showing seems like a biosecurity nightmare to me, but when you describe the competition as having lifted scales and puffy eyes......sheesh! You'd think they'd at least DQ the SICK birds!

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Sounds terrible, but I would probably only enter my more disposable chickens in the fair up here. I can't imagine subjecting any of my more valuable birds to a week of gawkers and screaming kids and no telling what kind of mess they might pick up from the other birds!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Yes that is true, but Dar was describing chickens in poor health or poor living conditions (no toenails comes from living in a cage right? pecked heads comes from overcrowding, usually). Honestly I wouldn't be in such a big hurry to get my birds over there.
Showing seems like a biosecurity nightmare to me, but when you describe the competition as having lifted scales and puffy eyes......sheesh! You'd think they'd at least DQ the SICK birds!

No toenails could be genetics, I don't know of cage-keeping causing that. A lot of breeders in my area keep their show birds in cages, they wouldn't if it caused problems like that. That's one of the problems with fair 'shows', I don't think they test for any diseases. Most (if not all?) of the 'big' shows require testing.

And I agree, I doubt I'll ever show any of mine because they seem like you'd be asking to get your birds sick!

 

[AllAlaskan]

Quote:
Ya you have a good point.

Are there any kind of "shows" for birds up here aside from the State fair in Palmer?

 

[Rozzie]

No way I'd ever take poultry to a show or fair. I won't even GO to a show/fair unless I wear shoes that can handle bleach & strip my clothes off before coming into the house (Erm. I have a privacy fence...) or going near my birds. I hit my hands and exposed skin with a heavy layer of sanitizer as soon as I've been through the poultry barn, too.

If I did take birds I would be too afraid of bringing disease back to my flock. Not worth it in my book.