Basic Selection, Nutrition and Care of Show Poultry

January 2014 AG/Poultry/2014-01pr

Troy D. Cooper, Extension Associate Professor, Duchesne County

Darrell Rothlisberger, Extension Associate Professor, Rich County

David D. Frame, DVM, DACPV, Extension Poultry Specialist,

Central Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

The championship potential of a chicken is

determined by genetics. Genetics are the traits

inherited from its parents. The chicken’s

environment dictates if the genetic potential can be

meet. The chicken’s environment includes such

things as, facilities, care, nutrition, health, training,

etc.

Selection

There are many breeds and varieties of chickens

both in the bantams and large fowl to choose from.

If you cannot decide on a breed there are many

books, magazines and Internet websites that can

provide pictures, descriptions and positive and

negative traits of many breeds. If you are interested

in showing at the local level, getting day-old chicks

from a mail order catalog or the internet is the most

common way. The idea that every chick raised will

be of show quality is not true. There are still several

steps in selecting the chicken you will show.

There are a number of factors that should be taken

into account when evaluating chickens to be shown.

In selecting chickens for shows it is important to

look at the bird as a whole. You are looking for a

good overall bird and not one that just has one or

two outstanding features. You should look for

certain characteristics and qualities when selecting

birds for show. The bird needs to meet breed

characteristics such as body shape, tail carriage,

comb type, feather pattern, etc., for the breed

exhibited. This information can be obtained from

the American Standard of Perfection

(www.amerpoultryassn.com). This is a good book

to own for the serious exhibitor of standard and

bantam breeds (Scheidler, S.E.). The following are

disqualifications and defects that should be checked

out before your final bird selection. You will be

looking at your bird’s tail, wings, back, beak,

feathers, comb, shank and toes. Some of the tail

disqualifications are split tail, wry tail, and squirrel

tail, along with twisted feathers in primaries,

secondaries, main tail feathers, and sickles.

Wry tail

Wry tail Split tail Squirrel tail

Problems with the wing can be slipped wing, split

wing, and clipped wing.

Split wing Slipped wing

Back defects include crooked or hunchback. Any

beak deformity is grounds for disqualification.

Look for birds with a comb foreign to the breed or

variety. Some of the disqalifcations tha may show

up are split single comb, side sprigs on single comb,

and lopped comb. Females of Mediterranean breeds,

New Hampshire and some rare breeds do have

lopped comb.

Lopped comb

Shanks and toes should be examined carefully for

bowlegs, knock-knees, more or less than the

required number of toes, and stubs or down on

shanks or toes of all clean legged breeds.

There are also specific disqualifications for each

breed and variety. Refer to the American Poultry

Association’s Standard of Perfection for details

regarding the birds you have (Jacob and Mather,

1997).

In selection of a chicken for showmanship the

above items should be considered along with the

weight of the bird. A young exhibitor may not be

able to hold a standard size bird for the amount of

time required. For the younger exhibitor a bantam

breed may be more desirable.

Nutrition

According to A. Lee Cartwright, Associate

Professor and Extension Poultry Specialist, Texas

A&M University, “No matter what a bird is fed it

will only grow as well as you feed it, and it cannot

grow beyond its maximal potential.” Bird feed

should contain all nutrients needed to grow muscle,

bone, internal organs, fat and feathers. The nutrients

needed are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals,

vitamins and water. Fresh clean water and feed

must be continuously available to birds at all times.

There is a direct relationship between the amount of

water a bird consumes and the amount of feed it

will eat (Cartwright, L.A.). Chickens will drink

approximately three times as much water by weight

as they eat in feed. A good rule of thumb is to

provide one quart of water for every four chickens.

Water intake levels will also increase significantly

during warm weather.

Birds of different ages and function have specific

nutrient requirements, which are met by mixing

together different feed ingredients. Formulating and

mixing poultry feed is a complex process that

ensures a diet contains all of the nutrients required

by the bird. It is recommended that you feed a high

quality commercial feed which can be purchased

from most local feed stores. Commercial poultry

feeds contain feed ingredients that are designed to

meet the nutritional need of the bird and several

types of rations are available (for example: starter,

grower, finisher, and layer rations). It is important

to choose the right ration for the type (pullet, layer,

or broiler) and age of bird being fed (Timmons,

Rhodes, Nottingham, Johnson, 2010).

Pellets Crumbles

It’s OK to let your chickens forage for bugs and

greens, but always provide them access to the

appropriate type of formulated balanced feed as

well (Frame, 2008).

Housing

Your show birds should be raised in stress-free

environments, safe from predators, with plenty of

ventilation and a regulated temperature. Because

chickens are vulnerable to temperature extremes,

pay close attention to the thermostat so they don’t

become heat stressed or have to expend energy

warming up. Feeders and waters should be placed

conveniently throughout the pen for birds' access.

As the chicks grow place the bottom of the waterers

and top lip of the feeders at the birds' back height.

This will keep the feed and water clean and prevent

wastage (Clauer, 2009).

1 2

Poultry feeders Figurse 1 and 2.

3 4

Poultry waterers Figures 3 and 4.

Health Management

The disease agents we are concerned about include

viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Prevention is

the most acceptable way to deal with poultry

diseases and parasites. Many diseases can be

prevented through good management but cannot be

cured once they occur without taking further steps

for control. Chickens will do their best in a clean

and nurturing environment. Removal of soiled litter

material and replacing it with fresh litter will help

decrease the chance of disease. Clean feeders and

waterers when they appear soiled. Signs of disease

to watch for include an increase in the number of

dead birds, difficult or noisy breathing and bloody

droppings. Birds that are not well may try to hide,

are inactive, and may appear weak. If you see these

signs you will need to separate those birds and

disinfect your coop and cages. Certain drugs have

been approved for use in poultry feeds. These drugs

may help prevent or reduce disease outbreaks,

enable birds to overcome stress conditions, and

speed the growth of chicks. Drugs should be used to

reinforce good management, not as a substitute for

it (Lyons, 1997).

Conclusion

Remember select only healthy well developed birds

that have been fed and cared for, that mirror the

standard of perfection for your breed and variety of

chicken. Selection, nutrition, and care are not all

that must be considered when deciding to show

your chickens. Training and handling are essential

in making your bird a show quality bird.

References

Cartwright, A. Lee. Nutrition and Feeding of Show

Poultry L-5159, The Texas A&M University

System. Retrieved from

http://posc.tamu.edu/files/2012/08/L-5159.pdf

Clauer, Phillip, J. 2009. Small Scale Poultry

Housing 2902-1092. Virginia Polytechnic Institute

and State University.

Frame, David, D. 2008. Principles of Feeding Small

Flocks of Chickens a Home, AG/Poultry/2008-02pr.

Utah State University.

Jacob, Jacqueline, P., and Mather, F. Ben. 1997.

Selecting Chickens for Show, Fact Sheet PS-33.

University of Florida.

Lyons, Jesse J. 1997. Small Flock Series: Managing

a Family Chicken Flock. University of Missouri

Extension.

Sheidler, Sheila, E. Exhibiting 4-H Poultry EC 282.

University of Nebraska Lincoln. Retrieved from

http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/live/ec282/build/ec282.pdf

Timmons, Jennifer, R., Rhodes, Jennifer, L.,

Nottingham, J. Richard. Uupdated 2010. Raising

Your Home Chicken Flock, MEP-300. University

of Maryland Extension. Retrieved from

https://extension.umd.edu/learn/feeding-flock

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