How to Practice With Your Chicken for the Poultry Show

With exhibiting any animal, preparation is the key to success. When put in new surroundings, animals can easily panic and act up at the exact moment when they are supposed to behave their best. Chickens are no different, so it is vital from when they are chicks all the way to the day of the big event to ensure that they are used to being handled and examined in the judge̵7;s enclosure.

Things You'll Need

  • Washing equipment
  • Judging enclosure
  • Carrying case
  • Chicken feed
  • Stick
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Instructions

    • 1

      Bathe the chicken regularly from a young age. Clean feathers and legs are essential for a show bird, but a chicken will not take well to being thrown into water the day before a show. Start washing your chicken once the feathers develop so it gets used to the treatment.

    • 2

      Build a mock judging enclosure. This will likely be much smaller than the chicken's normal pen, which could cause it to panic.

    • 3

      Feed and handle the chicken in the mock judging enclosure. The chicken not only needs to get used to the pen, but also to what the judges will do while examining it.

    • 4

      Talk to the chicken. Like other animals, a chicken recognizes voices, which help it to calm down.

    • 5

      Use a stick to direct the chicken to display itself. This is similar to how the judges will operate and is something the chicken will need to get used to. Displays include walking around the pen and spreading its wings.

    • 6

      Place the chicken in its carrying case for extended periods of time. The case should not be large enough for the chicken to walk around in, so it will need to get used to traveling in it. If not, it may act up after the journey to the show.