Open Showing or 4-h?

[silkielover249]

I have great chickens that i want to show with, but im not sure if i should do 4-H or i just show independetly.
4-H Questions:
How do I contact and find a group?
What all is involved with it?
Does it cost money?
What do you learn?
Is it harder or easier than open showing?

Open Showing Questions:
What kind of shows are there? What do you do in them?
What is requiered?
What training is needed?
Is it harder or easier than 4-H?
How do i find out about shows, when, location, ect.....

Please keep in mind that i haven't shown before.
Thanks!

 

[Whittni]

4-H Questions:
How do I contact and find a group?
Google your county and state and ad "4-H" at the end. For example: "Fresno CA 4-H"

What all is involved with it?
Everything. 4H is for everyone and will help you with scholarships later in life.

Does it cost money?
My 4-H costs $10 annually and the shows usually have a registration fee of $4-$5 per bird

What do you learn?
Leadership, public speaking skills, people skills, honesty, sportsmanship, hard work, what every classes you attend and more.

Is it harder or easier than open showing?
This depends on the competition, if there are a lot of people exhibiting pick the smaller class if you are nervous. I would say easier because the judges are more tuned to youth.

Open Showing Questions:
What kind of shows are there? What do you do in them?
There are large poultry shows with crazy good birds from all over the nation that exhibit for rosettes and ribbons. You have to have really nice birds that you've trained to be good show birds, like being cage trained and pose when people walk by. You present the bird and hope it does well.

What is required?
A clean, high quality bird, trained bird and a knowlegable handler.

What training is needed?
Cage (doesn't try to get out of cage when someone put their hands the cage and not flinch, also doesn't struggle going out of cage), staying still on a table and not fly off, poise(poses for the people walking by)

Is it harder or easier than 4-H?
Harder, its a step up that can wait until you're too old for 4-h if you'd like.

How do i find out about shows, when, location, ect.....
GOOGLE. Shows are stuck up and want the same people to win each year, they are unlikely to advertise much so google local shows and your state counties then google the closest counties and add words like "chicken show" "livestock show" "fair" "exhibits"


Also, wash your birds that you show and show in both categories if you can!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-prepare-a-chicken-for-showing


Look at the links at the bottom and know all the info. I hope you win.

 

[silkielover249]

Thank you so much!!! I appreciate that you went above and beyond and i think I want to do the 4-H. I was lost before your answer, so thank you so much for the lnk and everything!

 

[Whittni]

I'm always happy to help.