Before you get your chickens ready for the fair, a good idea is to attend a few shows and become familiar with the procedures. Once you have an idea how things are handled, you’ll be better prepared to get involved. And by making friends with people who regularly exhibit, you’ll be more relaxed and have more fun than you would by entering your first event unfamiliar with the process and dealing with complete strangers.
Choose the Right Show
Not all chickens are eligible for all shows. Some shows allow only large breeds or only bantams. Others allow only certain breeds or varieties.
Youth shows may specialize in egg production breeds, meat breeds, or chickens that conform to the American Standard of Perfection. Open shows, in which both young people and adults are eligible to enter, generally emphasize the standard breeds. Be sure to enter your birds into the appropriate show.
Choose the Right Birds
Novices often try to show too many different breeds or varieties. Their thinking is that the more birds they enter the better chance they have of winning.
To the contrary, rarely will their chickens do well. Exhibitors who compete successfully generally specialize. Raising a lot of chickens of a single kind gives you a better chance to choose the few that are of exhibition quality.
You might prefer a breed that is popular in your areas. On the other hand, you’ll have a greater chance of placing well by choosing a breed with less competition.
Grooming and Conditioning
Before the fair, wash and groom each chicken so it looks its best. If you have no one to mentor you, several books explain how to get your chickens ready for the fair. Showing Poultry by judge Glenn Drowns emphasizes youth shows. Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens includes a chapter with details on how to condition, wash, and groom your chickens for a show.
Health Requirements
Different fairs have differing health requirements for exhibitors to follow. Find out ahead of time what the fair requires in terms of vaccinations, blood tests, health certificates, and any rules related to biosecurity. You don’t want to get your best chickens ready for the fair, only to have them turned away because of not adhering to the rules.
Line Up Needed Equipment
Some shows require exhibitors to bring their own show cages, bedding, and containers for feed and water. Others provide everything but the chickens. Find out in advance what you’ll need to provide.
Be sure to bring along water and feed your chickens are familiar with. At the show your chicken may not drink water that tastes strange or eat rations with unfamiliar texture or composition. Chickens show best, and remain healthiest, when they don’t endure long periods without water or feed.
Don’t Get Discouraged
Chickens, just like people, have good days and bad days. So even if you select your best chicken to show and prepare it to perfection, it still may not do well. Try to find out why the bird did poorly. The best bird in the world won’t win if it feels stressed, is out of condition, or is simply out of sorts.
Helpful Links
9 Reasons to Show Your Chickens
Have Fun Showing Poultry with Less Stress to You and Your Birds
Difference Between Production Chickens and Show Chickens
And that’s today’s news from the Cackle Coop.
Gail Damerow has written several books about keeping poultry, many of them available from the Cackle Bookstore.
