Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens (91 page)

Arrange any feathers that may have gotten out of place during travel. To remove road dust and shine up the feathers, rub your clean bare hands or a piece of silk or wool over the plumage, working in the direction in which the feathers grow. When your chicken is competing against another bird of similar quality, the cleaner bird always places higher.

Every show has a time by which all birds must be in place in the showroom. Some shows are more tolerant of latecomers than others. Most exhibitors arrive at the last minute, which makes things pretty hectic for a while. Being a little early lets you take your time with each bird, and then you can relax, watch the action, and spend time chatting with others who have finished cooping in.

When you arrive, you’ll be faced with row after row of show coops.
Cooping in
is the process of putting your bird in its assigned show coop. The birds are organized according to classification, so all the birds to be judged against one another are displayed in adjacent coops along one row (or in adjoining rows, if the class is large).

Attached to each coop is a coop card identifying both the bird assigned to that coop and the bird’s owner. The card has room for the judge to note the bird’s placement in relation to others. A thoughtful judge may also jot down some comment about the bird’s outstanding good or bad feature, such as “nice lacing” or “too long in the back.”

An
open show
is one in which the coop cards are left open during the judging. A
closed show
is one in which either the cards are folded or the exhibitors are identified by numbers, so the judge can’t see the name of the bird’s owner and be influenced by the owner’s reputation. Novices believe they have a better chance of winning at a closed show, but experienced exhibitors know that a skilled judge can identify chickens coming from strains owned by top exhibitors simply by the birds’ unique and uniform appearance. Some judges feel that closed shows insult their integrity.

A licensed judge is supposed to appraise birds according to the scale of points published in the
Standard
. A specific number of points is allowed for each trait (comb, tail, back, symmetry, weight, condition, and so forth), with deductions
(or cuts) made for such things as incorrect weight, missing tail feathers, off-color eyes, and other defects. In the old days, coop cards had this scale printed right on them, but rare is the judge today who refers to the point system at all. Judging by points and cuts takes too long.

Judging these days tends to be much more subjective. Birds are often ranked according to the judge’s personal likes and dislikes, which may significantly diverge from the
Standard
. To do well at a show, you have to know who the judge will be so you can show the kind of birds that judge likes to see in your breed and variety. As in all things, some judges are fairer than others. The fairest judges tend to be willing to discuss the placings when the judging is over. The least fair judges don’t like to explain their reasoning because they know they’ll end up in an argument.

Differences in judging may be accounted for not only by differences in the judges’ taste but also by differences in their conscientiousness, interpretation, powers of observation, experience, and age. Chickens, like other things in life, are subject to fads. Refinements in color or body type vary in desirability from year to year, so what was popular a generation ago may be unfashionable today and vice versa.

Successful exhibitors ignore these fads and work as closely as possible with the standard descriptions for their breed and variety. To avoid discouragement, however, keep in mind that the birds depicted and described in the
Standard
are ideals to strive for, as determined by interested breeders and specialty clubs; such birds do not exist in real life.

Chickens, like judges, have their good days and bad days. A bird may display itself differently from one day to the next because of changes in its physical condition, health, training, or stress level. Even the fairest of judges may place the same group of birds in one order on one day and in a different order on another day. If a bird doesn’t place high in its class, don’t be hasty to cull it until you find out why the bird did poorly. The best bird in the world won’t win if it lacks maturity, is out of condition, or is out of sorts.

Ultimately, all judges base their decisions on two things:

How each bird compares to the ideal (or standard) for its breed and variety

How each bird compares in type, condition, and training to the others in its class

In ranking the birds in a class, most judges first compare two birds, then compare the better of the two with a third bird, and so on until all the birds in the class have been ranked. A good way for novice exhibitors to become more

observant is to practice doing the same: Rate each entry in the class according to its description in the
Standard
, then rank them against each other. When the judging is over, compare your ideas against the judge’s. If your ranking is far off, ask a knowledgeable breeder to show you why.

Regardless of your opinion, avoid getting into an argument with other exhibitors or with the judge. Even if every exhibitor in a class disagrees with the judge, the judge has the final say.

An excellent way to learn the ins and outs of showing is to volunteer to help out. One of the best jobs is that of the judge’s clerk, who gets to see firsthand how the judge determines the placing of each bird. If you’re interested in a specific class or in working with a specific judge — assuming the show is big enough to have more than one judge — say so at the time you volunteer to clerk, but don’t be upset if the assignment you want is already taken.

If you let the judge know ahead of time that you’re there to learn, he or she may be willing to think out loud while judging. Avoid the temptation to pester the judge with questions, though. You’ll only slow things down at a time when the judge needs to concentrate. One of the functions of a clerk, in fact, is to keep bystanders from kibitzing with the judge.

At most shows, while judging is taking place, the aisle is blocked off to give the judge a clear view of the class and prevent interference from passersby. Yet
a crowd invariably gathers at the barriers to watch the judge in action. To satisfy their curiosity, a good judge will discuss the placings after finishing each class.

A good clerk makes sure the judge has time for this important educational aspect of showing by keeping things running smoothly and efficiently. In doing so, the clerk locates each class to be judged, lets the judge know how many birds are in each class so none will be missed if the class continues around the corner or across the aisle, keeps track of the judge’s
Standard
and other paraphernalia that might otherwise be misplaced, records the judge’s placings, and returns forms to the show secretary so ribbons and other awards may be distributed without delay.

While a class you are interested in is being judged, note who in the crowd is especially attentive. Those folks likely have a bird in the class. After the judging is over, a good way to get tips about the breed is to seek out some of those folks and ask questions, such as “Which bird is yours?” and “What do you think of the bird that won?” If theirs is the winning bird, you might ask why it placed higher than the runner up. The responses will help you learn to notice the finer details of the breed and variety. If you have a bird in the same class, you might also ask what they think of your bird, but please don’t be offended by a frank response.

Cooping out
refers to the removal of your bird from the showroom after all the prizes have been awarded and the show is over. Cooping out occurs in anticipation of going home, unless you are asked to coop out early because one of your birds appears to be ill. Having a bird disqualified is not sufficient reason for early coop out. Neither is selling a bird to someone who’s eager to take it home. Some shows have strong rules against people who coop out early, such as losing eligibility to enter the next show.

People who attend a poultry show come to see chickens, not empty cages. So if you don’t win, avoid the temptation to pick up your birds and go home. It’s not sportsmanlike. Whether you win or lose, stick around to discuss the placings with other exhibitors. You might be amazed at what you learn.

The appropriate time for cooping out will be given in the premium list. Birds must be removed in a timely manner before the building is closed and locked up or, typically at a county fair, cleaned out and readied for another show. Coop-out time is usually a mad scramble, with everyone in a hurry to start for home. It’s a good time to keep a close watch on your birds, carriers, and other equipment. If you have more stuff than you can carry to your vehicle in one trip, try to buddy
up with someone so one of you can watch things inside while the other carries things to the parking lot.

Theft is so uncommon at shows that the disappearance of a superior bird or an expensive carrier causes a big stir among exhibitors. But even ordinary birds and simple cardboard boxes are sometimes inadvertently grabbed in the rush, especially by novice exhibitors or those who show large numbers of birds and don’t take time to count them at coop-out time. Although such losses are not likely to be economically important, they’re disheartening if not downright inconvenient. So in addition to guarding your own belongings, take care in the fracas not to pack up something that’s not yours.

Some shows require exhibitors to get a health certificate from a veterinarian before entering chickens. Unfortunately, even a health certificate doesn’t ensure that a bird is healthy. A chicken may be fully capable of spreading a disease without appearing sick to the vet who signs the certificate. Indeed, some vets handle certification this way: “Have you had any problems with this bird? No? Well, it looks fine to me. Here’s your certificate. And here’s a bill for my services.”

Even if you are certain the birds you exhibit are healthy, you can’t count on the same from everyone else. Your chickens are less likely to catch a disease from other birds at a show if you take every precaution to reduce stress.

Putting medications into the birds’ drinking water is definitely a bad idea. Medications may cause a bird to drink less than usual, increasing stress and the likelihood of disease. Besides, if you don’t know what disease your chickens are exposed to, if any, how would you know which medication to use?

When chickens do catch something at a show, it is likely to be a cold. Colds spread among birds the same way they spread among people — through coughing and sneezing. As you coop in, check the entries in adjoining coops. If a bird doesn’t look healthy or coughs and sneezes, notify show officials so the bird can be removed.

Upon return from a show, clean and disinfect all carriers, waterers, feeders, and other equipment you used at the show. Isolate returning birds for at least 2 weeks, and watch them for signs of disease. Feed the isolated birds after attending to the needs of your other chickens to avoid potentially contaminating the birds that stayed at home during the exhibition.