Showing a young cockerel

[Audsrose]

Hi Everyone

I am new the chicken world and have 5 young pullets and 1 cockerel, all Rhode Island Reds. I am thinking of entering my cockerel in a local small Country Fair and would like to know what I need to do. He is so pretty in my eyes and it would be a great learning experience.

Any advice on what I need to do and what he should look like. He is 20 weeks old and very healthy.

Audrey

 

[Illia]

At a small county fair all you need to worry of is his health and condition.

They don't really judge beyond that.


At a bigger or APA Sanctioned show, he's likely not to win anything unless he has little competition (sorry) because chances are you didn't get him from a heritage and/or show breeder, whom are very rare sources with Rhode Island Reds. I don't mean to crash the party, but, most Rhode Island Reds out there are bred for production in mind, thus, they stray FAR from the standard. If you think I'm wrong, and I hope to be, find yourself an APA Standard of Perfection book and see how closely they match to it.

 

[Audsrose]

Quote:
Thank you so much, it is just more a fun thing to socialize and learn from others. I just kind of wondered what they look for.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Showing poultry is a very nice hobby. You will meet lots of nice people.

I haven't seen your bird, so have no idea what he looks like, but you can go and learn. If he is not exhibition quality (I don't know whether he is or not), and you like showing, you can always purchase show stock and go on with that.

I don't show chickens. I believe they get a bath and their legs and comb cleaned and a very slight coating of oil put on the legs and comb to shine them up before judging. You'll want him to experience being in a cage before you take him, so he isn't frightened by it. Also, treat for lice a week before. You don't want to show up at the show with bugs, because that is embarrassing.

Another plus, you usually get free passes into the fair so you can go and tend to your rooster every day. You can't beat that.