Preparing Chickens for a Show

Showing chickens takes some preparation and should start from hatch day. Proper feeding and conditioning are crucial to raising show winning birds. This article will concentrate specifically on the two months prior to the actual show date.

The first thing is to have a copy of the APA Standard of Perfection (for large fowl) or ABA Standard of Perfection (for bantams). These are the books that all poultry are judged against and what the judges use as reference. They are worthy investments if you are serious about showing poultry.

Get to know what the standards are for the breed you are showing. Compare the descriptions in the Standard book against your potential show birds. Pick those that are closest to the perfect Standard, and if there are some minor faults that are not disqualifications, you can consider them if you don't have any better.

Issues such as a broken or off color feather can easily be dealt with a couple months prior to the show. Pluck any of these feathers at that time and new feathers should grow back in before show day. Check and trim toes and beaks also at this time.

While inspecting for broken feathers, also check bone structure to make sure the keel and back are straight. Crookedness in these areas are an automatic disqualification. Also inspect closely for mites and lice. If there are any treat promptly and check again in 10 days to make sure they are gone.

It's a good idea to put each show bird into their own cage for several reasons. For one, they will become accustomed to being put into and taken out of a small cage similar to the one at the show. A calm chicken that stands quietly and allows the judge to take it out for inspection is a big plus, so handle your birds several times a day. Also, by keeping feather footed birds on a wire floor cage or clean bedding, it will keep feathers clean and unbroken. The third benefit of caging your show chickens prior to the show is to keep them out of constant sun exposure, which can cause some feather colors to fade or turn yellowish.

A few days before the show, give your chickens a good bath. This will help to smooth and shine feathers, get rid of any stains, and really make your bird stand out. Gather up the necessary supplies, including shampoo (I use "Cowboy Magic" horse shampoo), bluing (which helps brighten white feathers), vinegar, a sponge, an old toothbrush, 2 or 3 tubs, towels and a blowdryer.

The first tub should contain warm water and the shampoo and worked up into a good lather. Submerge the chicken's body only and using the sponge, wash the feathers and legs, being careful to follow the direction of the feathers so they don't get broken. Use the toothbrush carefully on the comb, and also on the legs and toes.

For white birds only, the second tub should contain warm water with a little bluing. Make sure the water is just slightly blue, because too much bluing will actually stain the feathers blue. For all other birds, skip this step and go straight to the rinsing tub.

The third tub is for final rinsing. Put the chicken into plain warm water and rinse off the shampoo and/or bluing.

Once fully rinsed, wrap the bird in a towel to soak up as much water as possible from the feathers. Most breeds of chickens can then be transferred to a clean, draft free cage to dry off. It can take almost a day to fully dry, and you can use the hairdryer to get things moving a little more quickly. Blow-drying is best on Silkies, Cochins and crested birds like Polish. Harder feathered birds will do fine with just a natural air dry.

Once dry, go over the bird again and pluck any off colored or broken feathers that you may find and check the toes to make sure they're clean. Trim toes and beaks again if necessary. Put some baby oil, olive oil or VetRX on the comb, wattles and legs for condition and shine.

The day of the show, as you coop in, go over each bird one final time. Apply more VetRX or oil to the birds face and legs, smooth down any out of place feathers and run a baby wipe or cloth along the feathers to clean and shine. If you know your birds will be judged early in the day, it may be a good idea to hold off on feeding until after they have been judged. That way a bulging crop won't distort the profile. Also, watch out for the crested breeds, especially Silkies, with water dishes. Some like to dunk their beards or crests in the water and get soaked. Fill their dish only just enough to get a beak into the water, or use the small pop bottle waterers to prevent this.

Once everyone is cooped in and prepared, the only thing left to do is enjoy the show!