Please Educate me! How to show!

[LilPeeps]

Quote:
This, of course, is referring to showmanship, not the open class.

I believe the points system is listed in the SOP, but most judges don't add up the points of a bird due to the large number of birds to be judged. Most states test for free, although some do charge a small fee, you would have to contact a tester in your state to get a price.

 

[sred98]

I do know that our FFA at the high school has a student that is trained to test for free. I am sure 4-H must have something similar, or just check with your local school's FFA. They enjoy the practice.

And it is FREE! Even better! LOL!

Thanks M@M@2four! I think my dd is going to do chickens for her FFA project, and needed to know the age requirements. Now to get her to not be afraid of the chickens!

Shelly

 

[fuzz]

I just called a friend and asked her about testing and she told me that the Jr. Fair board does it for free throughtout the summer for free and during fair. I also went on the Silkie breed site and got lots of great standard information! Thanks everyone!

 

[Giddyup]

I'd like to show our birds and ducks in the fair. Definately not showmanship

I'll leave that to the kids!

How do you bath a chicken? Duck at least I think would do it themselves.

Can they go back out to the pen? I'd hate to keep them in crates/coops for 2 days and they'd probably get dirtier.

Nails - can you file them or clip them rather than dremel? Are they to be filed so that they won't injure the judge?

Does the judge take the chicken/duck out of the cage to examine?

We usually clip wings but I read you should not do this if you show - true?

I've never seen requests for testing - area specific?

thanks!

 

[danielbrown]

How do you bath a chicken? Duck at least I think would do it themselves.
In the sink like a small dog. They love the the blow dry.

Can they go back out to the pen? I'd hate to keep them in crates/coops for 2 days and they'd probably get dirtier.
We had rabbit cages we put them in.

Nails - can you file them or clip them rather than dremel? Are they to be filed so that they won't injure the judge?
We filed them when they got too long.

Does the judge take the chicken/duck out of the cage to examine?
Yes they do.

We usually clip wings but I read you should not do this if you show - true?
They check wing feathers.

I've never seen requests for testing - area specific?
When I showed they tested the birds when you checked them in.

 

[LilPeeps]

How do you bath a chicken? Duck at least I think would do it themselves.
Here's a good how-to for bathing them: http://harvestbreezefarm.com/PreparingforShow.html

Can they go back out to the pen? I'd hate to keep them in crates/coops for 2 days and they'd probably get dirtier.
They can go back into the pen, as long as they're very clean with deep shavings if you have a feather footed breed. FLs do not do good in cages as their foot feathering can easily break off.

Nails - can you file them or clip them rather than dremel? Are they to be filed so that they won't injure the judge?
You can simply clip them befpore the show, they don't need to be filed. Same with the beak.

Does the judge take the chicken/duck out of the cage to examine?
The judge will remove a chicken from the cage for evaluation but they do not take the ducks out, they just look at them through the cage.

We usually clip wings but I read you should not do this if you show - true?
Birds with clipped wings will automatically be DQed

I've never seen requests for testing - area specific?
You'll need to find a state certified tester, try going to your ag department. I've never seen them test at a show, as it wouldn't do any good if it came back a week later that a bird had AI, then all the birds at the show would be exterminated. You can also speak to anyone at a local poultry club, as I'm sure they'd be able to direct you to a tester or the regulations for testing.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Different states have different requirements for testing--both as to whether any are required, and if so, which ones, and the timeframes. In general, the western states have few to no requirements, whereas those in the central and eastern areas are more likely to require some form of testing.

Your best bet is to contact the show secretary ahead of time and ask what is required: what tests, health certificates, etc.

Most shows prefer to have entries well before the show date. Some shows have a maximum number of birds that they will accept. I have heard of entry deadlines a month and more in advance. Some will allow late entry; others will not.

At a sanctioned show all birds (except those who display signs of disease or parisites) will be handled by a judge at least once.

Some shows have separate junior and open shows; others combine all exibition into open; others do something in between. Showmanship is usually, but not always available. It is usually just youth, but I have seen adult showmanship also.

Depending on the show and its size, it may last a day--cooping in, judging and release all on the same day--or it may last an entire weekend. In the case of fairs, the exhibition may last a week or more. Most shows that I have been to have cooping in on Friday night through early Saturday morning, judging on Saturday (and they always say Sunday, too, but I've never seen it take that long). Then birds may be released Saturday evening, or there may be more scheduled events on Sunday and not released until noon or later.

There is usually a sales area, and the animals available will vary both in breed and quality from show to show--they are really the breeders' excess birds, and sometimes other animals. Unless you make arrangements ahead of time don;t anticipate that any particular breed or quality will be available. However, most times you can find an exhibitor who has birds they exhibitied that they may be willing to sell.

 

[fuzz]

Thanks for the info everyone, I am going to order the SOP for the APA as I have decided not to show my bantams. I will show my barred rock rooster and maybe my barred rock hen. It will be 4-H for now but it may graduate to a few close shows. For this long winter, spring and summer I will start soaking up as much info as I can so I will be prepared. Especially for showmanship, I know how tough it is for rabbits and its taken me over a decade to learn all the information I have so I will be learning as much as I can.

Also!!!

The poultry showmanship book, its only 6$ should I get it? Is it worth it and will it help? Its supposed to help judges know what to look for when judging the showmanship? Is it worth it?

Any other tidbits about showing I should know that you cant read? Experience? LIke how to hold the chicken when showing the judge its wings, great tip too, It sounds confusing but once I get teh roo in my hands I will try and do it.

Megan

 

[fuzz]

Anyone?

 

[kathyinmo]

Laura Haggerty, BYC's "Pathfinders," has written articles you may find interesting ... showing, bathing, etc...

http://pathfindersfarm.com/Articles.html