Picking the best Birds?

[USMCSGT]

I would like to find out what the judges are looking for in the poultry show? Do I just need to pick 5 birds that look best to me? All help will be grateful!

 

[the simple life]

Have you looked into particular kinds of breeds that interest you?
There are many breeds that can be entered into shows.
Have you decided on how many you want to own or what kind of housing you have available?

Do you like standards or bantams?
Some breeds are available in both sizes, but I am not sure if all of them are truly recognized.

If you have any idea then it would be easier to make a recommendation, other wise I guess we could all just throw out some of our favorites and you could look them up.

 

[USMCSGT]

Sorry! I already have 25 chickens, but we have to bring 5 pullets for a show then they sell them. I want to know which ones to bring in. I have RIR's.
If we don't bring the 5 pullets then I lose the 35 dollars which I paid for the chicks, after the sale we will get the money we paid plus ribbons for the show and prize money.

 

[Renee]

There are rules for the judges, so you should pick chickens that conform best to the rules. The rules are known as the Standard of Perfection. You might try googling it for RIRs or asking what the standard of perfection for that breed is on BYC.
Renee

 

[Attack Chicken]

I've only been to one poultry show and that was just a county fair. But I had learned alot in what to look for in standards from the judge there. On pullets you want to make sure they don't have cut wing which is a space between the flight feathers and the secondaries. Also look for crocked or knocked knees is where the knees touch each other. In some breeds lopped over combs are fine but im not sure what breeds they are. Just make sure they dont have twisted or broken feathers and if they do maybe pluck that feather ahead of time. I can't really think of anything else but what kind of breed are you entering? If you have any questions i might be able to help.

 

[Anne]

If you want to get serious about showing, you'll need to buy yourself a copy of the Standard of Perfection. The judges will be looking for the bird that is closest to the "ideal" bird, which will be illustrated and described in the Standard of Perfection. While comparing their birds to the Standard, many people discover that they will need to bring in birds from a reputable breeder to really be competitive (oftentimes hatchery-bred birds are not really "show quality".)

If you're just looking to have fun, simply choose birds that don't have any disqualifying defects (also listed in the Standard) and are in good condition (bright combs & wattles, glossy feathers, well-fleshed, etc).