With 2015 ’s comprehensive ban on exhibiting fowl now lifted throughout the U.S. , fanciers and 4 - Hers likewise are in full - scale formulation for an active season of community and county bazaar , specialty and state expo , and even national breed show . If you ’ve ever raise chickens for exhibition , you ’re already well versed in the vast amount of effort and investing required for achiever . If you ’re raw to the world of competitive poultry and are considering entering one or two of your birds in an forthcoming exposition , you ’ll require to follow these rule of thumb to raising show chickens .
Raise Your Standards
As sweet and docile as your hen Goldie may be , if she ’s a barnyard doll of indeterminate parentage , she ’s best left behind when you go to your show . Except for the smallest local funfair , intercrossed or “ mixed strain ” birds are not take for showable . It ’s not that these variety of chickens are prohibited ; it ’s that there is just no fashion to standardise the millions of possible stock combination for properly and fair judge intercrossed birds .
In guild to take part in a poultry show , you must have an entree that meets the definition for one of the breed recognized in theAmerican Poultry Association ’s American Standards of Perfection . In other words , you ’ll need to raise purebred wimp . Fortunately , there are literally dozens of bantam and large - fowl breeds from which to choose . Selecting a strain can be purely subjective ( you think Polish are pretty or you like the feathering patterns on Barnvelders ) , virtual ( you have limited space , so you choose Japanese Bantams , or you have plenty of room and go for Jersey Giants ) , or even purely competitive ( you did some inquiry and know that nobody in your area raises Houdans ) . Whichever multiply you rear , be sealed to acquaint yourself with the touchstone for that breed . You ’ll demand to know these touchstone when it ’s time to select which members of your flock you plan to show .
Conduct A Market Study
The barnyard is n’t the only locus to avoid whenshopping for show - quality fowl . manoeuvre clear of feed stores and Fannie Farmer ’ supply centers , where chicks are bought from hatcheries that favor measure over quality . These “ chick days ” specialists are fuck to often mislabel the breeds of sister birds they trade , so you may go home think you just bought a half - dozen Barred Rock biddy only to learn they are really Black Star loanblend . Give a wide berth to auction bridge family , as well ; the vast absolute majority of wench found at auction bridge are there because their owners no longer want them : They may be laying poorly , getting old , have a tough temperament or be pale . There ’s always the possibility that they are simply surplus skirt , but when those billet get up , Fannie Farmer tend to keep the better fowl .
Your good wager is to purchase your birds directly from local breeders . How do you incur these somebody ? On the cyberspace , of course ! If you know which breed you wish to raise , search for that stock ’s interior clubhouse , find out their website for a breeders ’ inclination , and then meet the breeder penny-pinching to you ; their birds will already be acclimated to your area ’s climate . you’re able to also get hold of your state ’s domestic fowl - fanciers group and see if anyone on their stock breeder ’ directory raise your bird of choice . If you ’re looking for heritage poulet , The Livestock Conservancyis an excellent resource — this national organization asseverate a elaborate directory of breeders . Be prepared for price - tag shock , though . Show - tone purebreds can be quite pricey , even as skirt , with uncommon varieties commanding jaw - dropping prices ( for deterrent example , $ 50 or higher per unsexed lavender Wyandotte chick versus a $ 2 to $ 3 Wyandotte chick sold at your local provender store ) .
Know Your Limits
Chicken Math is n’t a course of instruction in agricultural math . For some , it ’s a downright incurable affliction . The chief symptom : buy more chickens than you could in good order maintain . This is often the case with backyard - mass proprietor who enthusiastically pile up a few crybaby of every color and smorgasbord potential . The resultant role is a veritable rainbow of birds , beautiful and entertaining to seem at but completely unconducive if you plan on raising show domestic fowl .
If your succeeding plans let in becoming a regular on the domestic fowl - exhibit circuit , you ’ll need to constringe down your breeds to a turn you may fairly house , rearward and rearing . Most experienced enthusiast stick to two to fivebreedsor varieties in an effort to sustain quality , not to name sanity . Those fresh to the exposition earthly concern often have one or two birds contend in every poultry class and can be recognized by their craze , ravage look as they scare away back and forth amongst the rows of show cages , trying to worry for all their chickens .
Housing & Chicken Development
When raising show poultry , three main principle should be followed to ensure your birds are fit for exhibition .
Don’t Let Your Breeds Mix
This is self explanatory . The 2nd your Dark Brahma boy lays eye on your Welsummer girlfriend , you could kiss your purebreds goodbye . Almost as important is keep open your varieties separate . If you keep your white , partridge , blue and barred cochin china all in the same coop , it will be nearly unacceptable to find out the lineage of the ensuing chicks , which might result in wild customers down the road , especially when the purportedly partridge Cochin chick they purchased from you yields flossy blue babies .
Don’t Let Your Flocks Range
This often get those fanciers new to show fowl . sunshine , saucy air and forage unremarkably combine for a level-headed bird , so why bound a cock or hen from roaming ? The response is because of Murphy ’s Law . countenance your stunning Speckled Sussex out for a stroll and chances are she ’ll amount back limping because she tripped on a chipmunk tunnel , stinking from an afternoon scraping in acompost megabucks , or bleeding because she tore up her comb on a pointy branch . One sunny stroll can sideline your chicken — and you — for most of the exhibition season . Why risk it ? Be a well - intentioned meanie and curtail your flocks ’ orbit .
Don’t Let Your Birds Socialize
This is the third and , for many new poultry exhibitors , the gruelling rule of thumb to apply . wimp are societal animals . They shew a complex residential district with a trenchant pecking rescript — and it ’s this very social social structure that can wreck havoc on your birds . A hen who has missing back and neck feather due to an amorous cock wo n’t stand a chance against her fully feathered competition . Neither will any bird who has been spite or is flighty due to invariant biddy pick at by gamy - ranked doll .
Dedicated poultry shower allow for their show chance with exceptional natural enclosure that house two to three razz total . These chicken condos provide the bird with enough room to move , enough society to keep from being lonely , and enough closing off to keep them safe , unmarred and ready to wow the judges . Housing your show birds should n’t break in the banking company , however . low-cost choice are portable coney hutches , big frump crates and transferable crybaby tractors . Add feeder , waterer and bedding material , and your prize pullets can move right in .
Cull, Cull, Cull
Remember those Standards you need to know for each breed you lift ? As show time draws near , you ’ll need to put that knowledge to use so that only your very best raspberry are get in in the coming competitor . Which of your birds has the beak color , stem color and earlobe color that best matches the Standards of Perfection ? Which has the best - formed comb , the best - developed feathering , the right keel and soundbox weight ? In other Bible , which of your chickens is as penny-pinching to hone as potential ? That bird is your show dame .
As you win experience raising show poultry , you ’ll develop a good eye for imperfection and will be capable to key these earlier in a bird ’s life . Once you determine which phallus of your flock have trait that do n’t conform to the breed ’s Standards of Perfection , you ’ll need to cull those birds . This does n’t necessarily mean killing the substandard hen or cock . Many poultry keeper sell these imperfect bird as “ pet timbre ” fowl to multitude who simply want to keep chickens . Others keep an daily lay troop of show - bird rejects ( albeit quite far from where their exhibition birds are put up ) . And yes , some send their undesirables to “ deep-freeze camp . ” No one ever state it was well-situated raising show domestic fowl . Learning to set all sentimentality away is a science you ’ll finally get .
Be Prepared
Despite all of the arduous work you ’ve put into your flock during the month leading to your first fair or show , something unexpected may get along up that may bedevil you for a loop . Among the more interesting surprises I ’ve seen in my age demonstrate domestic fowl :
In guinea pig like these , do your best to be conciliatory , keep your sense of humour , and consider everything a encyclopedism experience that will help shape you into a honorable show - poultry breeder . Remember , you would n’t be doing this if you did n’t relish raising birds , so keep calm and show - chicken on !
