Silkie Showing Questions

[SundownWaterfowl]

What is the youngest age you would consider showing a silkie? I have 2 young girls that will be around 5-6 months old when the show is, and was wondering if I should enter or not.

Any tips on showing the silkies? This will be my first year officially showing my line of buff silkies. So excited about this.

Any supplements you add to the feed or special things you do?

Also, is Oxine necessary to bring with me to spray the birds down after the show is over?

I also remember reading somewhere not to put the water in the cage until the juding is over. This way the birds dont dunk their crests/beards in the cups.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I think that 6 months is probably the earliest I would enter, but of course, it depends on the bird. You just have to remember that in a pullet class you will be competing again 11 month old pullets.

We feed all our silkies gamebird feed and wouldn't change that for getting them ready for a show. I might add a tiny bit of oil to their diet starting a month before the show.

Oxine needs to be used in a fogger and is certainly advantageous to their health. I've seen some folks fog their birds at the show, but usually I believe they just fog them after they get them home.

It's ok to offer them some water, but not leave it in the cage. Just be sure to pull it out about 30 min. before judging begins so you can get the last cleanup on them before the ropes go up.

Good luck...you will have a blast!!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Most folks use oxine is a spray bottle (if they use it). Lots of folks don't. If I have it, I use it; if I don't, I don't stress about it. I do try to spray my birds for lice/mites beforehand, not just to prevent them from spreading bugs (if I thought they had them, they would stay home), but to prevent them from contracting bugs.

Assess your bird. Does it LOOK and SOUND full-grown? Do you have ANY question on gender? If the answers are yes and no (in that order), enjoy the show with them. Otherwise, leave them home for now.

If you have pop-bottle or rabbit waterers, by all means let them have water at will. If you have regular cups (either your own or ones the show provides), trust me, you do not want a soaking wet bird when the judges are on the silkie aisle, and the only way to ensure that that doesn't happen is to keep water away until after judging. There are also many breeders who prefer the birds to be slightly hungry when judged--not an empty crop, but ready for dinner.

 

[Smoky73]

I have won grand champion of show (my first starred win with the ABA) at the National Western Stock Show a few years ago with a 7 month old pullet. Dave Anderson was the judge and he KNOWS silkies. He is the one that told me to pull the water away from the bird before hand. I usually pull it once he starts judging the featherlegs as here, usually the cochins start first before silkies and that takes a while You want the birds beard to be completely dry before he gets to your birds. I have pulled the water ever since. She was a darn fine bird. I have some sweet contenders this year though, black, white, blue and buff.and I place to seperate for conditioning. I am taking a journey up to MN this October to see what a show is like in a different region.
I never spray oxine, but always dose my birds with frontline after their bathe prior to show. I also feed them their grain mix more often (safflower, sunflower hearts, flax, wheat, rolled barley and rolled oats, wheat germ oil and fish meal) prior to showing and thats what I take to the show as I know they will eat it and they love it.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
No question on gender. She does look full grown, but is just smaller since she is still young. Not sure on her sound, I'll have to check that. I will check her over again when its time to fill out the entry form.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Most shows I have been to silkies are judged very late in the day. But I have been to a couple where they were judgfed first! I have one hen in particular who likes to dunk her head before judging. Racing around like crazy trying to find a hairdryer and plug to dry a soaking wet silkie head is not a lot of fun--especially as you watch the judge get ever closer to your cage. Makes it MUCH simpler to make sure they have plenty the day before and pull water the first thing in the morning. (At least a couple of hours before any judging starts.)

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

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If I remember right, birds must be cooped in by 9am and judging starts at 9:30am.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

So take water away by about 7 or 7:30.

 

[Smoky73]

Also always put vitamins in their water and try to bring water from home so that its water that they are used to. Believe it or not if the birds taste the difference in water, they will not drink. I bring my own with vitamins so at least for the time they are drinking, they are getting as much goodness as I can give them. I also return the water as soon as judging is over unless they go on to champion row.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
Okay, I will do that. Last year I only brought a pair of Brahmas to the show, but I did bring water from home. Took 3rd place, with the pullet.

Can't wait to finally show my silkies. I plan on getting some of that liquid glycerine this weekend and bathing a bird to see if I like the results or not.