show birds

[chickachickawhat]

can i show rhode island reds?

 

[LilPeeps]

You can, as long as they meet the requirements in the APA Standard of Perfection. SQ RIRs are hard to find, most RIRs you see are bred for production purposes.

 

[chickachickawhat]

what chickens meet the requirements the most like which breed is the easiest to buy that have the right requirements

 

[Kanchii]

Quote:
Probably old english game bantams. However I wouldn't recommend them for beginners, the males can be nasty and it's a VERY competitive section at all shows, you'd be lucky to even get a ribbon. I'd recommend bantam barred rocks. They are good for beginners. Try getting some chicks or eggs from Dick ( [email protected] ) he has some good stock to get you started and actually sells his stuff unlike alot of exhibitors.

 

[Kev]

Hmm, kind of sounds like you may want the easy way out. Not to discourage but......

All birds intended for show need a lot of devoted care to varying degrees to make sure they are in top condition for when the show comes. Basically you can't expect to just grab them out of the backyard, dust them off and plop in a show cage. It's year around care for a show bird.

It takes feeding for the best possible growth, feather condition, skin condition etc. Feathers can get damaged if allowed to free range in a flock.. from "being a chicken". The feather color of some colors will be quite affected not in good way from sunlight exposure- buffs for example can get too pale if in sunlight a lot. And then there's the matter of selecting the right stock(USUALLY hatcheries are not the best choice for show-able birds), pairing the right birds and raising the chicks and culling out, saving the chicks that seem promising and so on.. Birds cost a lot more from a person who shows them(for good reason I add).

Some breeds are easier to care and prep for shows, generally feather legged or crested breeds are the hardest, they need to have their leg feathering or crests intact at showing time. However ALL breeds and even standardized colors have their own particular challenges, pro and cons due to "quirks" with the show standards and rules and the popularity of said breed(above example about bantam OEG is an extremely good one).

If you're determined, I would really just suggest going to a LARGE show. Not the local county fair, to get the idea of what qualifies as show quality in the various breeds. Choose the few or even better, just one breed and color that tickles your fancy the most.. and go with that. It's easier to stick with showing if you work with a breed and color you already are very fond of. If it's not a breed you love, you run the risk of "getting bored" or not being highly movitated to keep up the care for a show conditioned bird. If you love your RIR, check out how show quality RIR look and if you like that then find out if there is a show RIR group and see about joining it. These folks will be your best source of information regarding care, stock to get, etc.

 

[chickachickawhat]

well thank you kev and everyone else for helping me.

 

[Mr. Ree]

If you want something exotic,...I dont think anything gets more exotic looking than a Frizzle or something with weird feathers or something that doesnt look like a normal chicken. But I will tell you this, do not just buy the first birds you find that are "SQ". Most people do not really have SQ birds and will add that tag to try and get more money for the birds they are selling. Research your options before you jump into something you dont really know that much about. make sure you get the right breed that you like, something easliy managable, something that doesnt require alot of care for a begginer, and something you like. Dont just get a breed because it will show well, get something you will like and enjoy, if it isnt a very competative, breed it anyways. The more you breed them and show them the more attention they will get by other breeders and the more competition you will bring to that breed.

I would recomment you start with a bantam breed, and something that can easily be conditioned well. In showing you need to pay attention to detail with almost everything in every bird, eye color, feather quality, foot color, leg color, beak color, points on the comb, the shape of the head, wing carriage, stance, comb size, wattle size, etc. You need to get a Standard Of Perfection before you get any breed and read up and research the breed you want and know what you are looking for before you purchase anything. Dont just trust someones word on a bird because they like it. Once you decide on a breed and research the breed, then research breeders and prices. Of course your not going to find the best of the best because breeders will not sale them. But if you ask around and find the right breeder, you will get some very nice birds to start with and if you are very sincere about breeding the birds they will help you ot as much as you ask for it. If you need anything you know you can ask us BYC'ers and someone within the 8000 of us will be sure to have an answer, and if not we can point you in the right direction. And you can feel free to email me with any uestions you may have and I will answer them as best to my ability. I hope that this info has been helpful to you.


~Casey

 

[silkieloverz123]

I dont think they are exotic but, Silkies are my favorites, and Polish. They are very loving and docile, but the Polish can be gittery. Most Silkies grow to be very sweet, loving, and downright ADORABLE! Hope i helped!