What do you want at a Chicken show?

[averytds]

Building:
Lighting Lots.
Flooring (cement vs. arena dirt) Cement is nice, but not necessary.
In one building or two adjacent buildings One.
Double stacking vs aisle width Doesn't matter to me.

Onsite or nearby bathrooms proffered.

Show entries and Awards:
Champion Row (having one vs not) Nice for easily seeing the top winners, but I honestly prefer keeping my birds together/in the same areas.
Trophies (Trophys, Rosettes, Photograph vs Cash) No preference.
Entry Fees Small fee $2 or less/ bird.
Paying a small show fee ($2.00 to help club defray cost of set up and tear down) Fine with that.
Capping of number of entries (If you enter late, your entry might be returned to you if the allotted coops are full) Fine with that.
Capping number of sale coops per exhibitor No preference. I do like where sales tags or notes can just go on entered birds vs a separate area. Then if I see an entry I like I can see if it's for sale before bothering to track down the exhibitor.
Only allowing sale coops for those who exhibit Inside only for exhibitors, outside swap/flea market style for non-exhibitors.
Breed meet type, Special vs District vs State Not sure. District maybe. Don't most encompass several states?
Junior Program Doesn't matter, but I usually enter my kids in with the adults. If I don't think the bird can compete, I wouldn't let them enter it beyond a county fair type situation. I guess I expect more/have higher standards for separate poultry shows.

Extras:
Hot food Minimal concessions is fine. Drinks, snacks, maybe hot dogs.
Seating for socializing Nice, but not necessary. Enough room to set up our own chairs if we want is fine.
Lectures or talks Eh, no preference. Would depend on the topic.
A booth to photograph birds Nice, but not necessary.
Raffle and/or auction Always buy some raffle tickets for the kids. Prefer if the drawing is between the judging and awards so we can commence with coop out right after the awards are done. I wouldn't stay later for an auction.
Banquet Not necessary.
Vendor Booths YES! Love to be able to pick up poultry related items, things forgotten at home, things I can only find online or not at all, etc.

 

[ultasol]

1) Safe and *well-lit* coop space for birds to allow for equal viewing by judges (I prefer single stacked)
2) Sale area of decent size AND limiting sales to exhibitors only (hopefully reducing the risk of disease compared to allowing anyone to bring in birds)
3) Obvious awards on cages, so people understand which birds are considered better examples of the breed as per that judge, which is as good as having a champion row in my mind.
4) Prevention of draft on areas where birds are to protect health
group of
Will do more detailed one later. I have kept a journal of the few shows I have exhibited at, and I did write down some specific likes/dislikes in regards to site, facilities, and/or activities surrounding the show.

One thing I did like,.. well, not just like, but LOVE was allowing a judge to do a couple of 'out-loud' critiques of birds so that exhibitors and attendees could hear what a judge is looking for/at and what he/she is thinking about when judging a bird. I would gladly volunteer my bird for this, and I think many exhibitors would be open to this since it provides such a great opportunity for education.

This occurred at the Montana APA double show in the Spring of '10.

 

[ultasol]

Quote:
I agree on that. I think that each bird should be looked at before being allowed into the show hall. Any sign of sickness or mites/lice and the bird should be dq'd and not allowed in the buildings.

Based on the shows that I have attended this is ideal but unrealistic. Considering the amount of volunteer work just to get everything set up, looking over what is potentially thousands of birds would be difficult, especially considering some lice/mite issues are not immediately evident. Now, birds with obvious wheezes, bubbly eyes, etc should be recalled from show hall, not just DQ'd (when DQ'd, I have seen them stay in the show coop, with DQ or not judged written on coop card).

Frankly, the reality is our birds MAY and/or WILL be exposed to some pathogen or parasite at a show at some point. I think it remains up to the exhibitors (me included) to try to remain alert about birds around us, practice biosecurity, vaccinate where appropriate, and quarantine birds after shows. I don't think there is an easy solution, unfortunately. Sick birds/carriers can be asymptomatic. I am personally vaccinating for diseases I know to be present in areas I am planning to show.

Wrote to clarify what I mean by DQs for illness should mandate removal of bird from show hall.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

Are there any guidlines for our fowl's health for instance
Innouclations and proof of them?

 

[Tanichca]

Building: Something with a roof, but preferably no rafters because birds tend to fly up and are next to impossible to get down.
Lighting as much as possible
Flooring (cement vs. arena dirt) cement
In one building or two adjacent buildings: 1 building
Double stacking vs aisle width ?

Show entries and Awards: i dont really care as long as there are good birds and good prizes
Champion Row (having one vs not) YES.
Trophies (Trophys, Rosettes, Photograph vs Cash) I would say cash and maybe a plaque
Entry Fees not more than $5.00 a bird
Paying a small show fee ($2.00 to help club defray cost of set up and tear down) sure!
Capping of number of entries (If you enter late, your entry might be returned to you if the allotted coops are full) yes.
Capping number of sale coops per exhibitor yes.
Only allowing sale coops for those who exhibit no.
Breed meet type, Special vs District vs State eh, i dont really care.
Junior Program YES. most important thing (im a junior showman)

Extras:
Hot food Yes.
Seating for socializing yes.
Lectures or talks yes.
A booth to photograph birds eh, maybe
Raffle and/or auction Yes.
Banquet if the food is worth it and there is enough for everyone.
Vendor Booths Sure... for coffee or a hot dog definitely.
And yes, CLEAN bathrooms are a must.

 

[BooBear]

Healthy, happy birds with their enthusiastic owners.
Clean clear aisles,cages clean and nicely displayed for easy viewing.
Breeds kept together.
Nice size sales area by exhibitors as the I wants will kick in on sight of beautiful breed quality birds.
Nice size sales area by vendors offering unique supplies and wares that are poultry related.
Snack area cus not everyone will leave for lunch.
Clean restrooms.

I have been to cat shows never poultry. This weekend will be the first one I go to.
My feedback is from an observer point of view and hopefullt what the show this weekend will be like.

 

[Chris09]

Chickens

Chris