trying to figure out the APA showing scene

[minister man]

At our local APA show, the entry forum has entries for both young males and females, and old ( more than a year old) silkies of each variety. According to the feather club most, if not all, enter only in the young class. For me to enter the young class, i need insulated/ heated coops for january hatching, because the show is in September.


So I was thinking, Why enter the young class, With the other 25 entries? If I prepared to show yearlings instead of pullets and cockerals, then I could do my hatching in the spring because they wouldn't show until the next year anyway. Also, the competion wouldn't be as steep because there aren't near as many entries in that class. Does that sound reasonable?

Is it alot more difficult to keep/get adult birds conditioned for show? Is that why people don't show them? Does anyone show old birds? Is it hard?

thanks

 

[minister man]

Are there any good books or articles out there on preparing, conditioning, and getting silkies into proper feather condition to show? I have started to realize that if I breed even the very best birds but know nothing about preparing and presenting them, I still lose. Can anyone recommend how to learn these things?