Serama Show Training?

[tinychicky]

i just got my first serama pullet from quality stock yesterday (i have others but they aren't SQ) she's 4.5 weeks old and as been adopted by my same-age silkie chick who is practising motherhood already!

anyway i havn't been able to find much good info on show training them to pose (what age to start training? how importent is a judging stick? ect.) any tips would be welcome. she's so pretty with nice low wings and a long tail, and such short stocky legs. her back's a little too long tho

she's still pretty. the breeder said her birds are generally shades of buff or wheaten although other colors occasionally pop up. she's from silkied stock even tho she's hard feathered. i might get her a boy to breed her with when she's older

so how to go about training her?

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

Usually start "training" at 3 months, right now, its just cuddling!

Are you preparing for table top judging, like at a Serama Show? or are you doing 4H showmanship style showing?

 

[tinychicky]

4-h showmanship and breed classes like at the northeastern poultry congress. there aren't any serama shows near us

 

[nurseshelly]

I've never done it, but I have heard that most people just start putting their bird on a table or something like a table. They put food and water on it, and put the chicken back on anytime they get down so they learn to stay on the table, and also get comfortable on the table. I've heard you stroke their breast / under their chin to help them learn to pose when on the table. But, like I said, I've never done it myself.

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

Here's a demo video on 4H poultry showmanship... http://www.escondido4h.org/apps/videos/

When your bird gets bigger, then you can start doing the upside down stuff with it, but most shows require the birds be 6 months old to enter, so you have plenty of time. You don't want to hurt your chick in the meantime. Just cuddle it gently for now, and maybe wait another 3 months before doing any of the other stuff.

 

[tinychicky]

yeah i've been doing showmanship for years i just mean aren't seramas supposed to pose for the judging stick in a breed class? i don't know i heard that training to pose correctly for show is one of the importent parts of showing seramas, like how modern games are supposed to pose for the judging stick to display their correct station. should i use food motovation or should praise be enough (she does not seem particularly food motovated)?

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

Treats will work when she's a bit older. Be patient!

 

[edgarmongold]

Quote:
American Serama should have medium length legs.

Start training them by putting them on a table with carpet on it and surrounded by a cage to get them used to walking around on the carpet.

Once they are used to walking around on the carpet remove the cage and teach them to pose by putting your finger under the beak and aligning the eye up with the leg.