Why are there no Mandarin, Wood Duck or Pintails at most poultry shows?

[happyhensny]

I was so excited to get some of these last fall and I just got home from the NE Poultry Congress in Mass. There were none of these breeds at all. The more I thought about it I haven't seen any at any shows around here. Is there a reason I should not bring mine to our county fair this summer?

 

[KansasKid]

Mandarins have been shown in the past. but these breeds aren't recognized by the APA (although the mandarins might be by the ABA) and besides they don't do well in shows and get stressed out really easily. And besides (especially at local county fairs) there is always the risk that they pick something up and get sick. Better to just show your APA recognized domestic breeds and if you have ornamental ducklings or something you cand post and add on the side of your cage at the fair.

 

[happyhensny]

Thank you for your help. They are just such beautiful birds it'd hard to imagine people do not even know that we can own them and raise them. We do have an outdoor pen that I may be able to put them in, if only to promote having them.

 

[Oregon Blues]

They aren't recognized breeds to show and the wild types of duck get very stressed by being in a small cage with thousands of strange people staring at them all day.

That truth is, it is not good for the general public to take a fancy to a type of animal. Then you get a lot of animals suffering because people who have no idea how to care for them buy them because they are "pretty" or buy them because they are status symbols.

If you want something exotic to show, you can raise Egyptian Geese.