Showing?

[farmer4eva]

I have never showed before and i really want to through 4-h so if any body has any info that could be useful i would really like it. i mean i dont even know the definations of the terms people use for it like this pulorum disesese. ANYTHING about showing would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

 

[TK Poultry]

Well some 4H shows are APA and ABA sanctioned and judged by a actual poultry judge and some are not. If they are they are usually organized by the classes just like any other show. They have American, Asiatic, Contential, All Other Standard Brees, and English (I think I got them all) then you have Bantams Single Comb Clean Leg (SCCL), Rose Comb Clean Leg (RCCL), All Other Comb Clean Leg (AOCCL), and Feather Leg. They should have a waterfowl class which should consist of Bantam, Light. Medium, and Heavy (this is just for ducks) They also should have some commercial classes as well. I don't personally compete in those. I do exhibition. The commercial class should be like White Egg Layer, Brown Egg Layer, and All Other Egg Layer.; Then you will of cource have your meat pen class. To be in most 4H shows (unless you are already certified NPIP and current) you will have to do the pullorum (sp?) blood test on site usually but we started doing ours a week or so before and having to show paper work at check in. What the blood test consists of is they will flip the bird on its back and they will poke it in the exposed skin when you open the wing. They will take that blood that they "harvested" put it on a plate with special solution and test it. The test is ONLY for chickens not ducks They will also look for bugs such as mites and lice. Any parasitic birds will probably be sent home. Their is show prep but how in depth you go with it is a personal choice. I do all my show prep at home so that way I don't have spectators and I can take as long as I want and I can use my own things. That way too I can help with newbies during our fair if needed. I usually just give the bird (that need it) a bath, a blow dry, and a spray down of Flea and Tick spray. I usually end up taking between 5-15 birds depending on what I have in condition. I usually end up scratching one or two in the process. The procedure I go through to wash the birds is I have three tubs. One for soapy water, one for rinsing water, and one to catch the vinegar to cut the soap suds. ALWAYS scrub with the feathers not against them other wise you are just taking two steps back. After you have washed them you have really two options. A.) you can put them up somewhere with a heat lamp to dry OR B.) you can blow dry them. I usually blow dry mine because all my hutches are usually full of extra back up roosters or babies. Sometimes a Call Duck or two as well. Always blow dry with minimum heat and not too much air. You can easily fray the feathers blow drying them and I have had some bad experiences with that and an open show judge has wrote "condition" on my card because I screwed up with the blow dryer. After you have dried them however you have chose I usually take an old tooth brush and brush all combs, wattles, feet, and shanks. This will remove dead scales and dirt. Then you are done with the big show prep. Right before you put them in the show cage (about 10-15 minutes before) I put Neosporin on my birds combs and wattles. This will bring out the natural color. I also put a bit of Vaseline on their shanks if the are clean legged. Like seconds before I put them in I use a baby wipe the go over their back one last time. Then you put them in the show cage and cross your fingers and hope you win. With ducks it is much simpler. They will bathe themselves, and keep themselves in condition. all you do is show up with them and put some Vaseline on their bill, legs and feet. Presto the ducks are done. You probably will be able (if you choose) to enter showmanship. They are usually broken up by your grade of January 1 of that year. They usually have beginner Grades 3-5 intermediate Grades 6-8 and advanced or senior Grades 9-12. This is usually how it goes and the questions will vary. I have competed and won Senior showmanship once. I used a Bantam Ameraucana (AOCCL class) for my showmanship bird and the judge really delved into the history and the parts of the bird. Our tie breaker questions were "What is the axel feather?" and "What is the difference between an Ameracuana and Araucana?" My sister who was in beginner was asked questions like the birds name and its diet, some basic parts and trivia as well. After show day if you stay on exhibit you really will only take care of the birds and hang out with fellow chicken people which is always refreshing if you live in a family of non poultry people. I hope you enjoy yourself and have fun!