Showing Tips!

[feather leg farms]

Can anyone tell me some products to use when we show our show Quality splash and blue hens.

I also need to know some tips on how to show?

 

[ninny]

I always used a kitty litter box with warm soapy water to wash them at the show in. I use a hair dyer on them also. If your show birds are white try and not feed them corn or any thing with yellow dyes. It tends to make their feathers a brassy color. Trim their nails the day before and use a grinder if you can. Make sure they don't have mites. If you can try and train them to drink out of a water bottle. If they allow it at the show use them. This will keep the birds dry and crests nice. You can also give them more water this way.
There is always a chance for thief so watch your stuff and birds!! Zip tie or lock your cages!! Write your name on everything. I would take a folder that has a picture of each bird with leg and wing band info. That way if there is any question you have poof that is your bird. Better to be paranoid then lose a bird.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Wash them about a week before the show. I typically use baby shampoo. Others use dog or horse shampoo. White vinegar helps rinse out suds and also helps remove stains. I have been told that Cowboy Magic greenspot remover is good on stains; I haven't been able to find it, so haven't tried it myself.

After the bath, while they are wrapped in a towel is a good time to trim toenails and beaks. Finger or toenail clippers work fine. Be careful not to cut into the quicks.

VetRx or body oil on comb and wattles, legs, spurs and toenails--just a bit to shine them up.

Glycerin in the rinse water will give shine to hard feathered birds, as will Pinks (a ahir styling product), but don't use either on silkies--tends to weigh down their fluffiness, making their feathers look stringy.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Since you have blue birds use alittle bluing in the wash with them, not too much on the splash bird but just enough, it will help some. Like Sonoran said about the pink spray it does work good, we also found some hair shine stuff in the ethnic hair section at Walmart that works just as good if you cant find Pinks. The day before the show feed scratch, it will harden the poop so it wont be runny and ruin a nice washed bird.

 

[ninny]

I forgot to add we used baby oil on legs, wattles, combs, naked necks. Also bring a toothbrush to scrub toes.

 

[feather leg farms]

Ok, I have a pair of Showgirls. Thanks for all the help, Princess the Splash was given to me by a woman who lives in a city where you can't have roo's so she let me have her since she couldn't breed her.
Fluffy the Blue we bought for $ 75.00 @ Rowan County Fair Grounds when they had a Poultry show. We don't live but 10 mins from there.

Thanks,
Cheyenne

 

[Pathfinders]

I've written some articles on how to wash chickens/get ready for a show. See them here:

How to Wash a Chicken:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4512807_wash-a-chicken.html

Conditioning and Prepping for Shows:

http://www.pathfindersfarm.com/Prepping.html

What To Expect at Your First Poultry Show

http://www.pathfindersfarm.com/Showing.html

These should be a start, don't hesitate to ask if you have questions. And have fun!

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Thank you!

The DS has his first 4-H show on Saturday. Being newbies, we have not done a good job on anything really, but we have learned a lot from everyone here.