10 Easy Tips When Preparing Your Chickens For A Show

1. Remove birds from general pen 8 weeks ahead of time. Deworm and delouse. Give them Ivomectin 1% sub cutaneously for feather mites, 0.5 ml per bird. Do this again every week until show.


2. Vaccinate all birds that are going, against Newcastle and IB, at least 4 weeks before show. This helps when everyone else benches sick birds.(Been there and bought a LOT of tee shirts!)


3. 4 weeks before show start feeding extra protein to your show birds. A little cat food once a week, some cod liver oil in the feed once a week, lots of sunflower and Ave Total in the water. For buff birds feed grated carrots once a week. Colour is unbelievable, esp orpingtons.


4. For dark birds use maize. Keep white birds away from sun. Keep Rhode Island Reds away from sun too. Keep Orpington away from sun and rain.


5. A week before show, start washing the darker birds. You can give them a vitamin E or Primrose Oil capsule after bath. Dose with Drastic Deadline, 1ml per bird, on the back between wings. Don't do this to white birds as it makes a stain.


6. White birds, you wash as late as possible. Give them vit E tablet as well after bath.


7. Don't stress the birds. Get them used to being in a show cage at least a week before the show. handle them as much as pos but gently to get them used to handling.


8. On show morning all preparation should be done. Don't stress the birds by fiddling with combs and cleaning. It should all be done at home. If one has a dirty tail, wash with a cloth but don't stress the bird. Don't ever put a wet bird in a show cage. Put the birds in the cages and feed and water, then LEAVE them to get used to the noise etc.


9. Check there are no snotty noses or coughing birds before you leave.


10. Be a good sport whether you win or not!!!!!!