What got you interested in exhibition?

[melanie_s]

Hi all!

I'm fairly new to backyard chickens and just watched the movie Chicken People. I'm realizing there are lots of things you can do with chickens.

I'm interested in 2 right now: raising meat birds and learning more about showing. My question is, why do you like showing? What's fun or interesting about it? How did you get into it? Love to hear your stories and learn more. Thanks!

 

[Pyxis]

I haven't done a lot of showing yet, but I do show my birds

What interested me was preserving the breeds, and seeing all the gorgeous birds everyone else out there has. I use showing as a way to try to better my own birds, and I'm never disappointed when I don't win. Winning would just be a bonus.

Going to the shows, I get to see all these beautiful birds, which are so much different than the ones you see that come from hatcheries. I also get to meet new friends and talk to friends I've made at previous shows, find people who are also breeding the breeds that I am and exchange tips and pointers, etc.

Seeing the birds the way they are intended to be is awesome. After you go to a show and see 'real' examples of the breeds, you'll see hatchery birds for what they are, which is a mere shadow of what the breeds are supposed to be. Good producers, yes, but in terms of looks they don't hold a candle to birds that have been bred and selected to match the breed standard.

That's not to say hatchery birds don't have their place. If you just want inexpensive chickens to keep as pets and lay you eggs, they are the way to go. But if you want stunning birds that match the breed standard, and want to help preserve a breed the way it was intended to be, then show birds are the way to go.

Shows are kind of like a way to 'check your work' in that you get to see how yours are comparing to the birds of other breeders, and you can talk to the judge after the show about your birds and what is good and what could be improved.

 

[Cyprus]

I agree with all above.
I show to check my progress. I realized this year that I was too far behind in type to catch up, so I sold out and will be starting again with better stock.

 

[melanie_s]

Interesting, thanks for the replies! So, how did you choose your breed(s)? And did you start with breeding stock from another breeder? I'm trying to figure out which breed I'd want to work with and how to get started.

 

[BantyChooks]

I haven't done a lot of showing yet, but I do show my birds

What interested me was preserving the breeds, and seeing all the gorgeous birds everyone else out there has. I use showing as a way to try to better my own birds, and I'm never disappointed when I don't win. Winning would just be a bonus.

Going to the shows, I get to see all these beautiful birds, which are so much different than the ones you see that come from hatcheries. I also get to meet new friends and talk to friends I've made at previous shows, find people who are also breeding the breeds that I am and exchange tips and pointers, etc.

Seeing the birds the way they are intended to be is awesome. After you go to a show and see 'real' examples of the breeds, you'll see hatchery birds for what they are, which is a mere shadow of what the breeds are supposed to be. Good producers, yes, but in terms of looks they don't hold a candle to birds that have been bred and selected to match the breed standard.

That's not to say hatchery birds don't have their place. If you just want inexpensive chickens to keep as pets and lay you eggs, they are the way to go. But if you want stunning birds that match the breed standard, and want to help preserve a breed the way it was intended to be, then show birds are the way to go.

Shows are kind of like a way to 'check your work' in that you get to see how yours are comparing to the birds of other breeders, and you can talk to the judge after the show about your birds and what is good and what could be improved.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[Pyxis]

Interesting, thanks for the replies! So, how did you choose your breed(s)? And did you start with breeding stock from another breeder? I'm trying to figure out which breed I'd want to work with and how to get started.

I just chose the breeds I liked best Brahmas and ko shamos are the chicken breeds I work with. I chose brahmas because I love their looks and their huge size, and their docile personalities. Also, the first chickens I ever raised from chicks were a pair of hatchery light brahmas, and they basically got me hooked.

Ko shamos I chose because I adore the way they look, and their personalities are great. They are extremely friendly little birds with fiery personalities. Outgoing and feisty, and ready to take on anything. Plus, bantams are just easier to work with for showing, so that's a bonus.

 

[Amer]

Interesting, thanks for the replies! So, how did you choose your breed(s)? And did you start with breeding stock from another breeder? I'm trying to figure out which breed I'd want to work with and how to get started.

I started with a few hatchery birds to show with and just to try out some of the breeds that interested me. The original birds I owned were neat, but I didn’t end up wanting them. Or the next bunch I got. But I began to narrow down what breeds I liked. Once I found out what I wanted in a breed I found what I wanted.
It turned out I wanted hardy, low-maintenance, friendly little bantams.
The Ameraucanas that my username hints at are no longer among my birds, but they were a step in the right direction.
My advice is try what attracts you and then find out what you like. It may take years to find out what you want, but don’t stop until you find something you love.

It’s uplifting to find a group of people with the same goals of you, and every time someone wins in your breed, it feels like a team win.
And every time you go out and see your birds you feel a sense of pride.
Why do I enjoy poultry breeding and showing? Maybe because variety is the spice of life.
And my love of chickens has always been for their variety.

 

[Cyprus]

I started with a few hatchery birds to show with and just to try out some of the breeds that interested me. The original birds I owned were neat, but I didn’t end up wanting them. Or the next bunch I got. But I began to narrow down what breeds I liked. Once I found out what I wanted in a breed I found what I wanted.
It turned out I wanted hardy, low-maintenance, friendly little bantams.
The Ameraucanas that my username hints at are no longer among my birds, but they were a step in the right direction.
My advice is try what attracts you and then find out what you like. It may take years to find out what you want, but don’t stop until you find something you love.

It’s uplifting to find a group of people with the same goals of you, and every time someone wins in your breed, it feels like a team win.
And every time you go out and see your birds you feel a sense of pride.
Why do I enjoy poultry breeding and showing? Maybe because variety is the spice of life.
And my love of chickens has always been for their variety.

I couldn't agree with this more.

I chose my d'Uccles because they were the first breed that actually made me want more of them. For real. And also because there were never any aggressive individuals, they gave me a challenge I desperately wanted, and their breed is so high in demand around me that I have no issue in finding homes for all extras, even the males.

 

[BantyChooks]

Interesting, thanks for the replies! So, how did you choose your breed(s)? And did you start with breeding stock from another breeder? I'm trying to figure out which breed I'd want to work with and how to get started.

I tried about twenty different breeds and varieties before I found one that stuck. I got my original stock from a breeder, yes. Buying an adult trio will give you a great start in proven birds rather than having to spin the wheel of luck on chicks and maybe get a bad batch.
I work with Chanteclers. I had Partridge for a while but switched to Buff.

 

[Amer]

I tried about twenty different breeds and varieties before I found one that stuck. I got my original stock from a breeder, yes. Buying an adult trio will give you a great start in proven birds rather than having to spin the wheel of luck on chicks and maybe get a bad batch.
I work with Chanteclers. I had Partridge for a while but switched to Buff.