12004COctober 2003Cooperative Extension Service

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Prepared byStephen R. Schafer

4-H and Youth SpecialistLivestock, Equine, Poultry, and Rabbit Programs

University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service2003

Reviewers

Troy Cooper County Coordinator, Big Horn CountyUniversity of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service

Lise Foy 4-H Program Associate, Sheridan CountyUniversity of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service

Ron Kaufman 4-H Program Associate, Goshen CountyUniversity of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service

Jill Klein 4-H/Youth Specialist, Platte CountyUniversity of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service

Beverly Marlatt 4-H Program Associate, Johnson CountyUniversity of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service

Rindy West 4-H Program Associate, Campbell CountyUniversity of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service

EditorVicki Hamende College of Agriculture

Office of Communications and Technology

Graphic DesignerTana Stith College of Agriculture

Office of Communications and Technology

AcknowledgmentsSome of the material (both information and illustrations) for this publication came from4-H poultry project manuals published by California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Utah, Washing-ton, and other state Cooperative Extension Service presses. Information also came from the 2001 Edi-tion of The American Standard of Perfection published by the American Poultry Association and thepoultry manuals published by National 4-H CCS. These contributions are greatly appreciated.

Table of Contents

Introduction .........................................................................................................1

Selecting a Poultry Project ....................................................................................1

Parts of a Chicken ................................................................................................2

Poultry Terms .......................................................................................................3

Poultry Breeds ......................................................................................................4

Housing, Care, and Feeding .................................................................................6

Health Care ..........................................................................................................9

Fitting and Grooming ......................................................................................... 10

Showing Poultry ................................................................................................. 11

Identifying Chicken Parts ................................................................................... 17

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IntroductionA 4-H poultry project is an exciting andeducational opportunity for 4-H members.It requires very little room, expense, ordaily chore time. It is also a short-termproject, especially when compared tohorse, cattle, swine, sheep, and goatprojects. Chickens, ducks, geese, and tur-keys are also much smaller and easier tocontrol and handle.

Selecting a Poultry ProjectThere are two main types of poultryprojects: exhibition birds, which are alsoused for promoting a specific breed orbreeds, and market birds, which are usedfor egg production (layers) and/or formeat production (broilers). The exhibitionproject is designed for club members withan avid interest in poultry, production ofbirds, and the poultry industry as a whole.The layer and/or broiler projects are de-signed for club members interested inpoultry but to a lesser degree. The broilerproject participant purchases chicks, feedsand cares for them, fits and grooms them,

shows them, and finally sells the birdswhile the layer project participant raisesthe birds to produce eggs, which are thensold to help finance the project.

A club member who chooses the exhibi-tion bird project also feeds, cares for, fits,grooms, and shows the birds. However, incontrast to broiler project participants, ex-hibition bird project participants exhibitbreeding birds (chickens, ducks, geese, orturkeys) which are not sold at a county fairyouth sale. A club member is able to returnhome with these birds and to continue tocare for them to produce eggs andhatchlings. These eggs and hatchlings arethen kept to show, to sell to a market,and/or to sell to other club members fortheir projects.

The poultry project is one of the most popu-lar 4-H projects in the United States. Birdsgrow fast and cost less to raise than mostother types of livestock. A poultry projectrequires less room, less daily chore time, lessexpense (for both feeding and housing), andis a short-term project (for broilers).

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Parts of a ChickenSelecting a bird to show is as important asthe feed and care given to a bird once itcomes home. A poultry project should be-gin with healthy and high-quality birds.

Before one can identify and select a high-quality bird, it is necessary to know whatsuch a bird looks like. The first step in thisprocess is to learn the important parts of abird. Chickens are the most popular poul-try project; therefore, a chicken will beused to illustrate these parts.

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Poultry TermsUnderstanding the vocabulary used bypoultry producers, exhibitors, and judges isalso a necessary step in learning aboutpoultry selection and production. Knowingthe terms listed below will be of great as-sistance when communicating with peoplein the poultry business.

avian: a general word that refers to allfeathered birds

bantam: small or miniature breeds

beak: the horny mouth part of chickens,turkeys, and other land birds

bill: the horny mouth part of ducks,geese, and other waterfowl

bird: an individual of any avian species

broiler: a chicken that is less than eightweeks old which will be tender whether itis fried or broiled; sometimes it is alsocalled a fryer

breed: a group of animals with commonancestry and with similar characteristicsthat are passed on from generation to gen-eration

breeder: the owner of birds that are mated

brood: to care for a batch of chicks, duck-lings, goslings, etc.

chick: a newly hatched or young chickenof either sex

clutch: a group of eggs in a nest

cockerel: a male chicken less then oneyear old

comb: a fleshy prominence on top of thehead

coop: a place where birds are housed andraised

crossbred: an animal with parents of dif-ferent breeds

down: very soft and fluffy feathers onyoung birds

drake: a male duck of any age

duckling: a newly hatched or young duck

embryo: a developing bird prior to hatch-ing

exhibition birds: birds that are shown forbreed characteristics such as color, confor-mation, and other traits

flock: a group of chickens, ducks, or tur-keys

fowl: a general word that refers to mostdomestic birds

hatching: the process of a hatchling com-ing out of an egg

hen: a female chicken more than one yearold, a female duck of any age, or a femaleturkey of any age

gaggle: a group of geese

gander: a male goose of any age

gosling: a newly hatched or young goose

keel: the lower cartilage portion of abreast bone

layers: poultry (usually chickens) used foregg production

molting: shedding or losing feathers

pigmentation: the color of the shanks,beak, eye ring, and vent

poultry: a general word that is usuallyused to refer to birds that are typicallyfound on a farm

pullet: a female chicken less than oneyear old

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purebred: an animal with same-breed par-ents

rooster: a male chicken more than oneyear old

shank: the part of a leg between the hockand the toes

standard bred: normal or large-sizebreeds

tom: a male turkey of any age

vent: the opening through which an egg islaid

web: the skin growing between the toeson ducks, geese, and other waterfowl; theskin between the joints of a wing

yolk: the yellow part of an egg

Poultry BreedsTracing the history and development ofpoultry breeds is an impossible task. How-ever, certain dates and timelines can be es-tablished. It is known that when Christo-pher Columbus landed in America in1492, he found many types of poultry thatwere unknown in Europe and Africa.

Records indicate thathe took turkeys,which are native toNorth and CentralAmerica, back to Eu-rope. Records alsoshow that when thecolonists landed atJamestown in 1609,they brought certainkinds of poultry andthat when the May-flower landed at Ply-mouth Rock in 1620,the Pilgrims brought

domestic birds fromEurope. Other recordsreveal that LightBrahmas, Cochins,and Langshans wereimported to theUnited States fromChina and the EastIndies in the early1800s. Interest inpoultry grew, and nu-merous new breedswere developed, lead-ing to the establish-ment of poultry showsand a standardizationof breed characteristics and descriptions.

Breeds of chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys,and other types of poultry are distin-guished by the characteristics that makethem look different from other birds of thesame species. Another way of saying this isthat a breed is a group of birds with com-mon ancestry and with similar characteris-tics that are passed on from generation togeneration. This is why a baby of a certainbreed will always look like its parents.

Pekin ducks are white, and the babies ofPekin ducks are always white. Mallardducks are smaller than Pekin ducks andhave a bright green mark on their heads.Babies of Mallard ducks always grow up tobe smaller than Pekin ducks and have abright green mark on their heads. BarredPlymouth Rock chickens always havefeathers that are striped with black andwhite colorings, and the babies of BarredPlymouth Rock chickens will always growup to have this same color pattern. Broad-Breasted Bronze turkeys are a dark gray toblack to brown color, and their babies willalways have this same coloring. White

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Chinese geese are white, and the babies ofWhite Chinese geese are always white.

Some breeds of birds have yellow beaks orbills, and some have other colors such asbrown or black. The shanks and toes ofmany birds also vary in color. Some areyellow, some are brown, some are black,and some are other colors. As one can tell,there are many things that go together tomake up the characteristics that determinethe breed of a bird. Therefore, it is impor-tant to learn the characteristics and fea-tures of a breed to be raised.

Along with the items mentioned in the pre-vious paragraphs, chicken breeds can alsobe determined by the characteristics of theircombs. The comb is a piece of skin that sitsatop a chicken’s head, and it has six distin-guishable shapes. These shapes are used toassess or determine the breed of a chicken.Therefore, it is important to learn theshapes of each type of comb. The names ofthe six types of combs are rose, pea, cush-ion, buttercup, single, and strawberry. Thefollowing illustrations will help to show thedifferences between each type of comb.

Why is it important to learn the variousbreeds of poultry and the characteristicsthat go into determining a breed? The an-swer is very simple – one must know whata certain breed looks like in order to buythe correct breed. Also, there are breedcharacteristics that cannot be seen. Somebreeds are raised for egg production (lay-ers), and some breeds are raised for meat(broilers). Either way, it is important toknow which breeds are raised for each typeof production. Otherwise, someone mightpurchase a layer breed when he or she re-ally wanted to buy a breed for meat pro-duction. Of course, the situation could bereversed and instead of buying the laying

type for egg production, someone couldpurchase the meat breed. Both cases wouldresult from not knowing the characteristicsof the various breeds.

To help individuals learn the characteristicsof the various breed of chickens, ducks,geese, and turkeys, a system of classifica-tions, qualities, descriptions, and other dis-tinguishing factors has been established bythe American Poultry Association. Due tothe fact that this association is the recog-nized authority and reference for poultryin the United States, it is recommendedthat all individuals interested in poultry ob-tain a recent edition of the book entitledThe American Standard of Perfection.

The book divides chickens into a system ofclasses, breeds, and varieties. A class is agroup of breeds which originated in thesame country or area of the world. Thename of a class gives an indication ofwhere a breed began. The classes are di-vided as American, Asiatic, Continental,English, Mediterranean, and all other stan-dard breeds. There are also special classessuch as Game Bantam, Bantam, RoseComb Clean-Legged Bantam, and manyothers.

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Most of the chickens grown in commercialpoultry production systems are from theAmerican, English, or Mediterraneanclasses. Breeds in the American class haveyellow skin and unfeathered shanks. Theyadapt easily to different conditions and areused to produce both eggs and meat.Popular breeds in the American class in-clude Dominique, Jersey Giant, NewHampshire, Plymouth Rock, Rhode IslandRed, Wyandotte, and a few others. Breedsin the English class are used mostly formeat production. These breeds includeAustralorp, Cornish, Dorking, and Orping-ton. The breeds found in the Mediterra-nean class are noted for egg production.The breeds that fit into this category in-clude Ancona, Leghorn, and Minorca.

Regardless of the specie of bird (chicken,duck, goose, or turkey) that someone isinterested in raising and/or exhibiting, it isimportant to know the characteristics ofthe different breeds. Therefore, it is rec-ommended that those interested visit withexhibitors, producers, judges, and otherpoultry professionals. It is also recom-mended to view books like The AmericanStandard of Perfection, which contains il-lustrations and descriptions of variousbreeds.

Housing, Care, and FeedingSuccessful poultry producers have to takecare of many details in order to ensure thattheir animals are comfortable. After all, acomfortable bird is more likely to behealthy and grow efficiently. The better aproducer provides for the proper feed, wa-ter housing, and health needs of the birds,the healthier they will be. Therefore, theywill produce a greater amount of eggs andmeat in a shorter period of time.

No matter how old or healthy a bird is, itwill not do very well without a proper placeto live. A bird needs a proper home (usuallycalled a coop) as well as proper care, feed-ing, and watering. The basic requirementsof poultry housing are very simple:

• space for resting, feeding, water, andmovement

• protection and escape from theweather and from predators (dogs,opossums, foxes, coyotes, and manyothers)

• adequate ventilation to avoid stale airand moisture buildup

Space requirements vary according to thespecie and type of bird. The larger thebird, the more space it needs. Smallerbirds, such as bantams, only require two tothree square feet of floor space, egg pro-duction birds require about three squarefeet of floor space, and larger chickenbreeds and ducks require four to fivesquare feet of floor space. Very large birdssuch as geese and turkeys require evenmore room.

Brooding relates to the management, care,and feeding of young chicks, ducklings, orgoslings. Hatchlings that are raised withgood brooding practices and procedureswill grow faster and be healthier. Cleaning,disinfecting, and sanitizing a broodinghouse and equipment should be done be-fore each new set of hatchlings arrives.When using a disinfectant, be sure to fol-low all of the safety instructions and allowit to completely dry before placing four tosix inches of bedding in the brooder. Thebedding material should be dry, clean, andabsorbent. Materials such as wood shav-ings, sawdust, chopped straw, or similarmaterials are recommended.

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Heat is easily provided by hanging a heatlamp 15 to 18 inches above the bedding.The heat lamp should be a 250-watt infra-red bulb, and it should be turned on the daybefore the hatchlings arrive to allow timefor adjustments. Do not hang a heat lampby its electrical cord. Use a rope or a chain.

Safety note: To avoid a possible fire hazard,an adult should set up heat lamps.

Waterers and feeders should also be placedin a brooder after the disinfectant has com-pletely dried. It is recommended that theybe alternately placed around the edge ofthe brooder and not placed directly undera heat lamp. Also, fill the feeders and wa-terers the day before the hatchlings arrive.Figure A provides an illustration of theseprocedures and recommendations.

During the first few days, it is extremelyimportant to watch the birds very closely.Change the water and feed each morningand each evening because it is very impor-tant to always have clean feed and freshwater available for birds. It is also very im-portant to adjust the temperature. The rec-ommended temperature for the first fewdays is about 90 degrees. However, by ob-serving the hatchlings, it can be deter-mined if they are or are not comfortable.If they crowd under the heat lamp, theyare cold. If they move away from the heatlamp, they are hot. If they are scatteredand dispersed in the brooder, they arecomfortable. By watching the hatchlings,one will know whether to move the heatlamp closer to the birds (which increasesthe temperature) or to move the heat lampaway from them (which decreases thetemperature). Figures B, C, and D illus-trate each of these situations when viewedfrom above.

Figure A – Brooder set-up recommendation

Figure B

Figure C

Figure D

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The nutrition requirements are differentfor each species or type of bird. It is im-portant that layers be given feed designedspecifically for them, and it is importantthat broilers be given feed designed forthem. It is equally important that ducks,geese, turkeys, quail, guineas, etc. are pro-vided with feed designed specifically forthem. Many types of feed are available.Therefore, be sure to doublecheck the feedtags to make sure that the correct type offeed is being purchased.

It is recommended that broilers receivefeed with a protein content of at least 24percent. Twenty percent is recommendedfor younger pullets (under 8 weeks old),and the guideline for older pullets (8 to 20weeks old) is 16 percent. The recommen-dation for laying hens is 15 percent. How-ever, regardless of the type of bird beingraised or the feed recommendation, it isextremely important to always provideclean and fresh feed and water.

Providing the proper brooding environ-ment is the most important starting pointregardless of whether one is interested inraising birds for meat production or foregg production. Therefore, it will be as-sumed that the chicks were given a goodstart in a brooder. If the chicks were in abrooder for two to three weeks, then there

are another four to six weeks of growingtime needed to achieve the final broilerweight of seven to eight pounds (liveweight). This time period will vary accord-ing to the care that the birds are given andaccording to the breed or cross breeding ofthe chicks.

However, regardless of the care provided,there are certain guidelines that should befollowed. The temperature should be regu-lated according to the comfort of thechicks. The temperature at the beginningof the project should be about 90 degrees.After the first week, decrease the tempera-ture by five degrees, and then decrease thetemperature by two to three degrees everythird or fourth day until the temperature isbetween 70 and 75 degrees. Also, be sureto change the bedding in order to keep itclean and fresh and to provide artificiallight 24 hours a day.

Hens and pullets lay more eggs as thenumber of hours of light increases on adaily basis. Therefore, under natural day-light conditions, they will lay the mosteggs in the spring and summer of eachyear. Making the chickens think it is springor summer will assure the production ofmore eggs for a longer period of time. Thiscan be accomplished by using electriclights. It has been found that layers needabout 15 hours of light per day (do not al-low the light period to decrease), and a 40-watt lightbulb will provide enough lightfor approximately 100 layers.

Other than controlling the lighting, layersrequire about the same management, care,and feeding as is needed for raising broil-ers. This includes keeping the beddingclean, dry, and fresh as well as providingplenty of fresh feed and clean water. The

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amount of egg production achieved is adirect result of the care and managementprovided. However, under normal condi-tions, pullets will start laying eggs at about22 weeks old, and hens will average layingapproximately 260 eggs per year.

By feeding according to the guidelines dis-cussed on the previous pages, by followingthe recommendations listed below, and byproviding light 24 hours a day to help thehatchlings grow faster (a 40-watt bulb willsupply enough light for brooders up to 20square feet), one should have very fewfeeding problems and a more successfuland enjoyable poultry project. For ques-tions or concerns regarding the care orfeeding of poultry, contact a county Coop-erative Extension Service office for assis-tance and advice.

• Finish preparing a brooder at least oneday before the arrival of hatchlings.

• Provide clean and fresh feed.

• Provide clean, clear, cool, and freshwater.

• Provide vitamins in the water.

• Provide medications as needed. Theseare usually best given by adding themto water. Be sure to remove medica-tions in time for the withdrawal timethat is stated on every package ofmedication.

• Rinse feeders and waterers on a dailybasis and wash them at least twice aweek.

• Adjust the temperature as indicated bythe behavior of the birds. The tem-perature may have to be changed sev-eral times each day.

• Provide adequate ventilation.

• Keep bedding clean and dry. Removeand replace wet and/or dirty bedding.

• Gradually change from one ration toanother. Mix them together (firstmore of the original and then more ofthe new one) and make the changeover 3 to 4 days.

• As much as possible, control rats andmice since they can spread disease.

• Isolate a flock, limit visitors, and keepdogs, cats, and pets away from a coop.

• Only keep birds of a similar age to-gether.

Health careIn order to have a successful poultryproject, it is extremely important to startwith healthy hatchlings and to maintainthe health of the birds throughout theproject. Therefore, one must be able toidentify the difference between a healthybird and an unhealthy bird.

A healthy bird will be alert, bright eyed,full breasted, have erect posture, haveclean feathers, have a bright and full comband wattles, and have clean nostrils. Ahealthy bird will drink plenty of water andeat with frequent eagerness. The stool(manure) will be moist with grayish drop-pings and a white cap.

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An unhealthy bird will have a decreasedappetite and will not drink as much. It willalso appear listless, depressed, shrunken,and dull eyed. Furthermore, such a birdmay have a droopy tail and wings, ruffledor stained feathers, and an off color on thecomb and wattles. The stool may be verydry and hard (constipation) or just the op-posite – very watery and loose (diarrhea) –and it may also be a different color such aswhite, green, or yellow.

If a bird appears to be sick, there are twovery important steps to follow: tell anadult and separate the sick animal fromthe other birds. After getting advice from aveterinarian or other professional, followthat advice very carefully.

Many diseases and health problems can af-fect poultry. Most of these are fairly easyto control once the problem is identifiedand proper treatment is provided. Further-more, most health problems can beavoided or kept to a minimum by follow-ing these six simple steps:

• Buy only healthy birds from healthyflocks.

• Keep vaccinations up to date.

• Clean coops at least once a week.

• Clean feeders and waterers at leastonce a week; twice a week is muchbetter.

• Remove and replace bedding that iswet and/or dirty immediately.

• Watch birds closely and on a daily basisfor signs of sickness. Inform an adult ifa bird appears to be sick.

Fitting and GroomingFitting and grooming does not start at ashow or even during the week of a show; itstarts the day a bird comes home. Fitting abird means feeding, watering, and other-wise caring for it so that it achieves andmaintains proper condition. Proper condi-tion means that a bird is neither too fat nortoo thin. It also means that a bird ishealthy, growing, and alert.

Grooming a bird for exhibition is a simpleand easy process. However, grooming, likefitting, does not start at a show or evenduring the week of a show; it starts the daya bird comes home. It is important to havethe required supplies and equipment readyfor use when they are needed, so prepareand plan for the day when they will be uti-lized.

Items needed to wash a bird include a tubor something similar to bathe a bird in, agarden hose or some other method for pro-viding water for the tub, warm to hot wa-ter (not cold or cool), a mild soap or deter-gent such as baby shampoo, rags for rub-bing (not scrubbing) a bird, and a towel orhand-held hairdryer for drying a bird.

The first step in grooming a bird is tocompletely wet it. Next, apply the soapand gently (but firmly) rub the dirty and

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stained areas of the bird. For the other ar-eas, simply let the bird soak in the warm tohot water. The bird greatly enjoys this pro-cess. However, make sure not to get soapin its eyes as it will cause irritation. After agood soaking and the rubbing of dirty orstained spots, completely rinse off the soapand then dry the bird either with a towelor with a hairdryer. Surprising as it mayseem, most birds will greatly enjoy ahairdryer. A hairdryer will also provideadded fluff and flair to the feathers, whichgives a fuller and plumper appearance tothe bird. This is something that mostjudges prefer.

Washing a bird the day before a show orthe morning of a show for an afternoonexhibit is recommended. Blow dryingagainst the feathers is recommended onlyon loosely feathered breeds such asCochins, Frizzles, Silkies, etc. Using ablowdryer is not recommended on theMediterranean breeds such as Andalusians,Anconas, Leghorns, Minorcas, etc.

Grooming note: No amount of groomingcan correct or make up for a poor job offeeding, care, and management of a bird.

Showing PoultryShowing poultry, like fitting and groom-ing, does not start at a show; it also startsat home. It begins with the feeding, water-ing, washing, and other tasks that shouldbe done from the very first day that a birdarrives at its new home. Proper feedinggets a bird to its desired show weight.Proper care gets it in show condition (lean,not fat). Washing, drying, and othergrooming techniques make the bird neat,clean, and otherwise presentable to ajudge.

Training a bird begins by earning its trustand confidence and by making friendswith it. This is accomplished by playingwith it, petting it, lifting it, and otherwisespending time with it. The exhibitor mustknow what is expected of himself or her-self and the bird. He or she must also pos-sess some basic knowledge about poultrysuch as terms, breeds, feeding, and show-ing. After all, showmanship is an activity inwhich an exhibitor gets to show that he orshe knows how to handle a bird and gets todemonstrate his or her knowledge of poul-try and poultry care.

Showmanship tip: Each exhibitor shouldknow the parts of his or her bird, what breedit is, its sex, how much it is being fed, andthe protein percentage of the feed being pro-vided to the bird.

The first thing for an exhibitor to learnabout poultry showmanship is what will beexpected of him or her and the bird. Thesecond thing is for an exhibitor to learn thebasic information (breed of bird, amountbeing fed, parts of the bird, etc.) that willbe requested by a judge. The third item isfor an exhibitor to practice showmanshipprocedures with the bird. This allows thebird to have some idea of what is expectedof it because it will have been shown (sev-eral times is recommended) before a con-test. Birds may not be the smartest crea-tures in the world, but practice does makea big difference in their behavior during acontest.

Training hint: Placing a bird in its carry-ing crate a couple of times before show day isa good way to train it to be calm when it isin its crate.

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The first step in a showmanship contest isgetting a bird out of its cage. This is ac-complished by opening the door andsmoothly putting a hand in the cage andunder the bird. Lift the bird and slowly re-move it head first from the cage and thenclose the cage door. It is important to re-move it head first so that its feathers donot catch on the cage. The second step isto carry the bird to the judging table. Thebird should be carried with it resting on thearm and hand of the exhibitor and againstthe exhibitor. The exhibitor’s other handshould rest on the back of the bird.

The third and fourth steps involve puttingthe bird gently on the judging table andposing it. The bird should be shown on thetable in an alert position with its tailfluffed, head and beak raised, feathers in asmooth and normal stance, and wings in anormal position. Also, during this time ex-hibitors will be asked to give the judge afront view and rear view as well as rightand left side views of the bird. All of thesemovements will usually be at the directionof the judge or ring master and should beperformed smoothly, quickly, quietly, andeffortlessly.

The fifth step, which many shows divideinto separate steps, includes showing thejudge the head of the bird, the wings, theundercolor, the width of the body, thelength and width of the breast, the depthof the abdomen, the width of the pubicbones, and the feet and legs of the bird.During each of these steps, the birds canbe shown while being held by the exhibitorin the proper position or while being posedin the proper position on the judging table.

The head of a bird is shown by posing thebird and moving its head from side to side

by placing a finger under the beak andguiding the movement of the head. Thewings are examined by spreading them sothat all of the feathers are exposed for thejudge to view. When showing theundercolor, the exhibitor’s fingertipsshould be used to gently pull the tops ofthe feathers against the direction in whichthey normally lie. To demonstrate thewidth of the body of the bird, the exhibitorsimply places a thumb and index fingeracross the back of the bird (directly behindthe base of the wings), and the distancebetween the fingers indicates the width ofthe body.

All of these procedures can be performedwith the bird being posed on the judgingtable or being held by the exhibitor. Re-gardless of the method used by the exhibi-tor, the bird must be posed in the appropri-ate position for each of the judging as-pects.

When measuring the breast of the bird, thebird should be held by the exhibitor. Somejudges and show officials prefer that thebird be held upside down, and some preferthat it be held upright. This is somethingthat each exhibitor will have to determinefrom the respective show officials. Regard-less of the position, the breast needs to beexposed to the judge so that he or she cancheck for straightness, thickness, blisters,indentations, or other defects.

In order to accomplish the next two steps,the judge must have a view of the rear ofthe bird. Therefore, the first part of prepar-ing for these steps involves turning the birdso the judge has the necessary view. Thismay be done with the bird on the table orbeing held by the exhibitor. Once the bird

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is in the correct position, the vent and pu-bic bones can be shown. To show the vent,simply place as many fingers as possiblebetween the tip of the keel and the pubicbones. To show and demonstrate the widthof the pubic bones, place as many fingersas possible between the tips of the two pu-bic bones.

The next judging step in showmanship isan examination of the feet and legs. Thismay be accomplished with a front view ora rear view of the bird if the bird is on thetable. If the bird is held, it should be posi-tioned with its back against the exhibitorand its head up, thus allowing its feet andlegs to be available for inspection by thejudge. Either method is acceptable, butthe important aspect of this step is that theexhibitor controls the bird and provides thejudge with a good view of the feet andlegs. Once this step is complete, return thebird to the judging table and pose it inwhatever view the judge or ringmaster hasrequested. For some shows, this step maybe incorporated with the step that involvesshowing the breast. For other shows, thismay be the final showmanship step. Othershows might require one additional step ofreturning the bird to the coop. This is ac-complished by holding the bird in the basichand position and opening the door withthe free hand. Place the bird through thedoor in the same manner that it was re-moved–slowly, smoothly, and head first–and then set it on the floor of the cage.The final step is to close the coop door.

Showing tip: Attending showmanship clinicsand workshops is a good way to learn moreabout recommendations and techniques.However, do not just attend – go home andpractice what has been learned.

Training and practicing for showmanshipinvolves preparing oneself as well as teach-ing the bird. An exhibitor must know whatto do and how to do it. To assist in theseefforts, a poultry showmanship score cardand showmanship illustrations by TracyduCharme have been provided for reviewand study. Be mentally prepared. If an ex-hibitor lacks poise and self-confidence inthe show ring, the bird will sense thatsomething isn’t right and will become con-fused and uncomfortable. Consequently,the bird will become excited and hard tocontrol. This will lead to further frustra-tion, and the result is a cycle of confusionand frustration between the exhibitor andthe bird.

Showing hint: Remember, showing involvesthe appearance and attitude of the exhibi-tor, the appearance of the bird, and theshowing or showmanship of the bird. Also, beon time for the class and be courteous notonly to the judge and ringmaster but also tofellow exhibitors.

To prepare for a show ring:

• Wear clean, neat, and appropriateclothing.

• Wear boots or hard shoes, not softshoes.

• Carry a small rag in a pocket to cleanthe bird or clean up messes caused by it.

• Arrive on time for the appropriateclass.

• Know the bird’s number (if it has one),weight, breed, sex, and age (hatchingdate).

• Know other relevant information suchas the amount of feed being provided,the protein percentage of the feed, etc.

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• Know what the judge looks like and/or is wearing.

• Know what the ringmaster looks likeand/or is wearing.

To prepare a bird for a show ring:

• Wash the bird either the day before theshow or the morning of the show if ex-hibiting in the afternoon.

• On show day, feed the bird at least twohours before show time but only feedapproximately half of the usualamount. This keeps the bird attentiveand alert.

• On show day, give about half theamount of water usually provided. Thisprevents the bird from looking overlyfull and helps keep it active and alert.

• Groom the bird at least twice beforeshow time. This brings out the naturaloils as well as removing dust and dirt,resulting in cleaner feathers.

• Before leaving the pen for the showring, give the bird a drink of water anda final grooming.

• Be calm and gentle with the bird whileon the way to the show ring and whilein the show ring.

To work as a team in a show ring:

• Be aware of the location of both thejudge and the ringmaster as well as anyinstructions they may give.

• Be courteous to the judge, ringmaster,and other exhibitors. Be sure to say“yes sir” or “no sir,” “excuse me,”and “thank you.”

• Know the bird’s location at all times,especially in relation to oneself, otherbirds, and the judge.

• Maintain the proper distance betweenoneself and the bird. This distance willchange depending on the showman-ship step and how one chooses to showthe bird (holding it or letting it standon the table).

• Keep one hand free to open or closedoors and to work the latches. Alwayslatch all doors after use.

• Keep a small rag in a pocket; use it toclean the bird if it happens to get dirty.

• Maintain eye contact with the judge.

• Smile, relax, and enjoy the competi-tion.

• Keep cool, calm, and collected; thishelps to keep the bird under control.

• Be humble when winning and graciouswhen losing.

• Remember to thank the judge andcongratulate the winners after the finalplacing.

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Identifying Chicken Parts

A. ___________________

B. ___________________

C. ___________________

D. ___________________

E. ___________________

F. ___________________

G. ___________________

H. ___________________

I. ___________________

J. ___________________

K. ___________________

L. ___________________

M. ___________________

N. ___________________

O. ___________________

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Notes