New to chickens and shows...Only for kids

[maus]

Do you have to be a kid to enter your chickens in a show? I have been keeping chickens for a year or two, and I am getting ready to replenish my flock. I have been toying with the idea of maybe entering some in a show, but I know nothing about it, and I am 33 yrs old, so no 4H or FFA going on here...

 

[jazzchicken]

Showing chickens was the original reason I got silkie eggs. I planned on showing them, but I think they will be more of a pet than showbirds. But there may be a show every now and then. Ask your local feed store or a chicken breeder, maybe they know of any shows in your area. You do not have to be a kid to show though

 

[silkiechicken]

If you show at a fair, anyone can show, you enter as "open class."

 

[Picco]

It depends on the show. My county fair has two classes for poultry; 4H (kids) and open (adult), other fairs I have been to have only the 4H class.

 

[blackred]

Sometimes the hardest thing about showing poultry is taking that leap of faith into something new. If you are 33 then you will find that at most open shows you will be in the middle group in as far as age. I would say 50% are in the 40- 70+ group. I started showing poultry at about 30 (53 now). I would suggest going to a show and seeing what it is all about, but I warn you it is addicting. You will find that most exhibitors are quite friendly and helpful. Go to this website and look around, it is the ABA website. There is a new forum on it, sign up and pose your questions there also. Also there is a list of shows, it is not a complete list but it is a start.

Good luck, Bob

 

[blackred]

I forgot to attach the link to the ABA (yeah like y'all aint never forgot to attach)

http://www.bantamclub.com/

 

[Jay Bee]

Maus Hi: There are several shows coming up in Florida . One in S. Fl. In Dec. And two in Jan. 08, one in centeral and one in N. Fl. Come to a show, I think you will have a good time. There is a list under the heading Shows and Swap Meets.
JB

 

[maus]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

I think I will try to go to some of the shows out here to just see what they are like.
Heres some more questions:
Do the chickens get carried to a judging table? If so, does the owner do it or are there "carriers" (I used to show rabbits when I was a kid)
Should a show bird be raised with lots of handling and kept caged most of the time?

I will check out the ABA site too.
Thanks a bunch everyone!