We received an assorted lot of chickens from a man about 4 months ago. We have no idea what type chickens we have (other than that they are suspose to be hens). Some are white, some brown. Anyway, the man called because they are starting a junior showing at our fair. He wanted us to let our children enter a couple of chickens. We have one son that has really taken to the chickens and has shown a lot of interest in them, so we agreed. This is to be more of a learning experience and fun than anything else to us. My question is: What kind of advise can you give us to help us keep from looking like total city dwellers (we aren't, just seem like it) :>) . RE: How do you wash a chicken (or do you?), do you comb/brush it? Clean its feet? With what? Any advise would be very helpful. Also, while looking at the other chickens, what should we pay attention to? Thanks for all of your help!!! Lisa B.

-- Lisa B. (J5DIECAST@AOL.COM), September 29, 2001

Answers

I don't know about the grooming part but they would sure look spiffy in a new hat. : )

-- AyleeAnn (AyleeAnn@hotmail.com), September 29, 2001.

This may help:

Showing Poultry

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), September 30, 2001.

Get two buckets of water. One with soap and one clean, dip bird in each. This should clean them as best you can. Depending on the breed, (Siliky of frizzel) you might want to blowdry them. You can put vasilean(sp) on their combs and leggs.

If you let them free range for about a week before the show it will help clean their leggs.

Watch the judge and learn, see what he is looking at/for, this is what you should look for also.

Try your county extension office for 4-H books, they will help some. Here is the best internet site I have found. We use it as a referance for our poultry club.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKPoultryPage.html#Chickens

-- grant (organicgrange@yahoo.com), September 30, 2001.

You want to keep them in a warm place as they dry. Use a mild soap to wash. You may wish to scrub their legs gently. You can spiff up their combs with Vet Rx (a great herbal product) that you use by gently massaging it in. The combs and legs shine. There is an awful lot to showing quality birds. Try to go to a show to see for yourself. There are also things you are not allowed to do.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), September 30, 2001.

A suggestion on the mild soap....use baby shampoo. make sure you rinse well to rid the feathers of all the shampoo so the feathers will be shiny. have fun!

-- Buk Buk (bukabuk@hotmail.com), September 30, 2001.

My son showed in our county fair for the first time this year. He had the Grand Champion Cockerel, sold two broilers in the auction for $425 and got Best of Show on his brown eggs. I don't know if he was more excited, or if I was. One thing I learned was to look the breeds up in the American Poultry Association Standards book. (THis is their website http://www.ampltya.com/) It is amazing what qaulifications the judges look for in the birds. You may also want to check out this site, I found it helpful (http://www3.turboweb.net.au/~garrys/poultry.html) Good luck at the fair. This was the first year my son could take animals, he was really pumped afterward. Next year he wants to bring more chickens, sheep, goats, ducks and rabbits. Dad needs to buy a trailer.

-- Dave in WI (kabby@itol.com), October 03, 2001.