How to Show 4-H Chickens

Preparing to show your chickens begins from the first day you receive your chicks (see Related eHows: "How to Purchase Chicks," "Raise Baby Chicks" and "Care for Chickens").

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Chicken Coops
• Chicken Feed
• Chicken Feeders
• Chicken Waterers
• Grit And Oyster Shell Feeder
• Baby Shampoo
• Blow Dryers
• Baby Chicks
• Chicken Dusting Powder
• Cage

1. Choose which birds to show according to class - sex, age and number of birds per entry.
2. Pick hens that have been laying regularly over the past few months if you want to enter a layer.
3. Check that layers have a soft, pliable abdomen, breastbone and pubic bone at least three fingers' width apart from each other, and a pubic bone two to three fingers wide.
4. Choose birds with lots of meat if you want to enter a meat bird; look at the length and width of the bird's breast and size of leg.
5. Vaccinate birds for fowl pox, and check with fair about the blood test for pullerum as you begin preparing for the show.
6. Check birds for lice and mites. This should be done on a regular basis as you are raising the birds. Dust when lice or mites are present.
7. Look at the feet for rough spots, and apply baby oil or petroleum jelly to improve skin.
8. Wash birds three days before the show with warm water and mild shampoo so that they can be dry and so that oils will be back in their feathers by show time.
9. Dry birds with a hair dryer to prevent them from getting too cold and possibly getting ill before the show.
10. Transport chickens to fair in a clean cage.

Tips & Warnings

• Be present when judging takes place to listen and learn from judge's comments.
• Chickens should be handled often so that they'll be accustomed to handling by judges.
• Do not show birds that have cuts, bruises or crooked breastbones.