Showing... how to begin?

[tnchickenut]

Ok. Here is the deal. I never been to interested in showing... I live "out there" in a place that isn't close to anything and it always seemed too much trouble. However, now I have a few birds that I really feel will do well... and knowing that a blue ribbon would help my hatching egg sales greatly... how in the world do you start to show?

I know how to google and find event dates... but really... what else do you have to do? I know there is a vet check you have to get done, but I don't know of any vets around for poultry.

Advice? Help?

 

[TK Poultry]

I've never had a vet check done but if you think a bird is sick then dont take it. Be sure they are parasite free and you should be fine if you show out of state then you will probably need your NPIP papers if you have them but I dont know how showing out of state works I only show locally. Nothing big. but there is a great site that I used to fine local Jr. Shows that I could give you. You basically find out the information you need enrollment fees, enrollment deadlines, enrollment forms and times, then you show up go to the show secretary have them give your there exhibitor # find your cages and your done! but as I think you know there is prep involved but I wont go into that

here is that site
http://www.apa-abayouthprogramsite.org/Show_Schedule_Mid_West.htm

 

[emvickrey]

I would like to know the prep involved. I know a good bath is part of it. But what else?

 

[TK Poultry]

Well you need to bathe them, after that you trim any eye brows that single comb breeds, trim nails and beaks. you want to bath them about three weeks before then but them in a cage that is very full of clean bedding.

 

[emvickrey]

Mine are silkies.

 

[Sissy]

I dont show my birds
but will take any new advice.
I hear some powder their white silkies.
with baking soda.
Never tried it I just give them a shampoo
with dawn dish soap. and use a hair dry . very carefully.
but this is for beautys sake, not to show them.


Hi ..em vic,
when are we going to be neighbors

 

[TK Poultry]

Little show trick-if you put some baby powder on the birds vent feathers it will make the poop roll off better and makes it not stick

 

[()relics]

The first step would be to contact the show superintendant and ask for a copy of the rules. Every state/show has different requirements and they would need to be followed for a particular bird to be eligible to particiapte in that show....Every show is different so no use to try and guess. I have never heard of a bird being "vet checked" but some shows may require blood testing for each bird. Again the show superintenant can answer questions about his show. Your state will have a list of certified blood testers if this is a requirement. Here most open shows do not require any testing although the county 4H and state fair meets do have testing requirements....again no use to guess....
Show conditioning? Now that is the subject of many a novel. maybe you could contact a known breeder/showman of your specific breed of bird and ask them for a few pointers....Or attend a show "just to see how things work"...

 

[tnchickenut]

So there isn't some secret website that lists them all (and maybe I'm dumb but I checked over the APA and ABA)?

I think I just want to get my feet wet with one that is really close and so not so stressful.

Maybe "vet checked" wasn't the right term. I read something about the Tennessee Valley Fair (the biggest fair near me) needing a vet signed paper saying they are Typhoid free and had been checked in the last 30 days. None of my birds are sickly at all so I'm not worried about the outcome, but just worried about all the hoops to jump through. I'm not a very good hoop jumper, so to speak, lol. Plus, when you work a full time day job that doesn't have any room for absences... hoops can be even harder to jump through.

I guess that is my main concern... but really. how do you find these people's contacts for these shows?

 

[kathyinmo]

I think if you are NPIP you are covered, and able to enter. You could check with your TN fair board and ask them couldn't you?

ETA: By the way, is the fair you talk of APA sanctioned? If not, it is probably easier to enter than a real APA show, I would think.