Show Conditioning

[CallDuckLover]

Hello, I am newbie to the whole poultry showing thing. I have Call Ducks, and chickens. My 4-H fair is coming up in a couple of weeks and was wondering if anyone had any tips on poultry showing and conditioning for me. Thank you so much, and any advice is appreciated.

 

[Fluff-n-Feathers]

I'm in 4-H too!!!!!! Although this is only my second year with poultry, i can give you some useful tips.

You always want to wash your chickens a week before the fair. This gets them clean, but gives them enough time to get all of their oils back into their feathers. Also, make sure that your birds are comfortable being handeled, and choose your nicest bird to use for showmanship. This link: http://web2.uconn.edu/poultry/4-H Poultry/showmanship.pdf will bring you to a site that i found really helpful when preparing for the show

Make sure that you study for the wirtten test too

they can be really hard sometimes

Have fun, and good luck!

 

[call ducks]

Hello Call duck Lover

I am in 4-H and have shown call ducks before, about 1 to 1 1/2 weeks before bath the ducks (not as easy as it sounds!) , you do it early so the oil has time to return to the feathers. i am asuming you will be doing showmanship? Practice with your drake/duck (what ever one you are using). all turn and look with the judge always, move the upper half of your body with the jude. i am not sure if in the US. if the birds have to face left when being showen but in canada they have to face left. And know how filghty or bird is, it would be a baddddddddd thing to have a call flying around the place.

 

[SpeckledPullet]

I haven't shown any birds yet, but have been reading up on conditioning. I've read a few threads on this forum that suggest canned tuna and bird seed to be added a few times a week about 2 months prior to a show.