Preparing Call Ducks for a show..1st time showing

[SundownWaterfowl]

I am going to be entering 2 female call ducks into a show on sept. 28th.

How do I prepare them for the show? Im going to be seperating them from the rest of the flock tomorrow.

Do I need to bathe them? I read online to wash them gently with some dawn dish soap a couple days before the show.

Is there anything special to feed them? Anything special I need to do?

This will be my first show. I was going to show a chicken or two, but cant find anybody who does a pullorum test. So I decided to show 2 call ducks since they dont need to be tested.

They were hatched in Spring 2007.

 

[tfpets]

I'm sorry I cant be of any help, I bought my first call duck, Andrew, at the Stockton Poultry show last year. What an amazing show! Good luck to you!
I have read that you should separate your birds first, which it sounds like you have, groom them clean, clean feet, etc, you want to impress not gross out the judges. Do you go to the Call Duck websites? They have all the show stuff there, I thought about it before, and it was so complicated (travel, points, etc) I decided just to buy them and keep them at home!
I hope you win! Post a few pics of your future champions! I can show you Andrew if you like?
Tina

 

[turbo]

Do NOT wash your call ducks with any kind of soap, you will wash the oil off of their feathers and ruin any chance of winning and possibly killing your ducks.

You need to start about a month or 2 before the show by seperating them out or if they get along fine you can put two calls together on a wire bottom cage so that they cant get mud or dirt stains on their feathers. I try to give them fresh clean water at least twice a day, they will clean their self up as long as you provide clean water. Youll want to use a very good feed and trim their nails, clean their legs, feet, and bill....some people use mineral oil or a light coat of vasiline.

Depending on if they are whites or whatever varity they are you will need to keep them in the shade or in full sunlight.

But mostly just provide plenty of clean water and they will condition themselfs.

 

[LV426]

Here's a good link to how to prepare your ducks.

http://www.gov.ns.ca/agri/4h/manuals/waterfowl/prepare.pdf

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
Thats what I thought about bathing them with soap. One website I looked at said to bathe them with Sunlight soap.