Preparing Your Chicken For A Show: 

Preparation for a chicken show starts months in advance. Your show chickens will need to be in top condition by the time is comes to showing. They will need to be a healthy weight, have healthy feathers, and be free of any infections or parasites. To ensure all of this you need to ensure your show birds have the right diet and living conditions to minimise infections and maximise and boost their health.

Training: 

Chicken shows can be very stressful for a chicken that isn’t used to them. At a show they will be in a small cage with lots of people walking by looking at them. When being judged they will be taken out of their cage and handled. You must get your chicken used to this process before you show them so they are calm and relaxed when you do. A judge will not look kindly on a nervous or flighty bird and they may even disqualify them if a chicken is being particularly disruptive.

To train your chickens for showing you will need to handle them everyday in order to get them used to being touched and handled. You should get them used to having their wings extended and being held with one hand under them. A week before the show you should keep your chicken in a small pen or rabbit hutch to get them used to an enclosed space. Ideally you will place them in an area where you and your family and pets will be walking past quite regularly. This will get them used to the hustle and bustle of a chicken show.

Washing: 

Your chicken will need a pampering session before it can be shown. Washing your chicken should be done 3-4 days before a show to make sure all the natural oils have a chance to return to the feathers to give your bird a natural shine. To learn how to wash your chicken read our section on how to wash a chicken. However, bare in mind that certain breeds may need to be washed slightly differently so researching your breed and how to wash them is advised.
Nails and Beak: You will need to regularly clip your chicken's claws and beak before showing.

What Happens At A Show? 

When you arrive at the show you will register and be told where your show pen is. You will need to ensure that your chicken is in its cage 30-60 minutes before judging starts to ensure it is settled. Before judging you can use a makeup sponge to remove any dirt from around the face and the claws. Rubbing some moisturizer, coconut oil, or vaseline on the comb, wattles, and legs will spruce the bird up. A silk cloth can give the feathers a shine; this works better for some breeds than others. The birds are not usually fed or watered before judging to minimise any waste from your chicken. Feeding and watering your chicken is also seen as marking the chicken as yours which might sway the judges decision.

After judging has taken place you should provide food and water for your chicken. They will be required to stay at the show for a period of time that will be made clear to you. This period of time is usually a great opportunity to talk to the judges and other exhibitors and gain more advice.

After The Show: 

Shows are a great place for your chicken to pick up parasites and infections. Because of this it is sensible to quarantine your chicken for a week and treat them for parasites by dusting them with Diatom powder or another louse powder.

Top Tips For showing chickens:

• Do your research on the breed you are showing. Having a good knowledge on the breed standard will allow you to send your best chicken to show and you will do better.




• Keep your show chickens indoors- keeping them outdoors can alter the colour and condition of the feathers.




• In the run up to a show feed your hens wholewheat only to delay laying until after the show.




• Do not modify your bird in any way other than clipping claws and the beak.




• If your chicken has a crest, tape halfway across a water container to limit how much a bird can dip their head in to drink.




• Get to know judges and what ‘type’ of bird they tend to lean towards.