Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
fats in their diet that will help their feathers develop a sheen so that they look like the
truly healthy specimens they are.
Handling Practice
How you handle the bird is a crucial part of the show for some judges. If you have
mastered removing and replacing the bird, and can hold them with confidence and care,
the judge will know that you have practiced handling those birds and take note. Certain
breeds of fowl are easier to handle than others. The challenging, flighty breeds can be
somewhat tamed with constant handling and care by you, the showperson.
Steps for Taking Fowl In and Out of the Cages
When prepping for the show, practice taking your birds in and out of their cages prop-
erly. Always remove birds from and return them to a cage headfirst.
1.
Reach into the cage and capture the bird.
2.
Place one hand over its back and the other hand on the feet.
3.
Turn the bird inside the cage so that the head points to the opening and move it
through. Do not drag its feet through the wire opening, or it'll be flopping and
screaming all the while.
Once you have the bird out, carefully hang onto it with one hand on the feet and the
other over the back close to your body.
To remove the bird from its cage, place one hand on its back and one on its feet, turn it
to face the entrance, and slip it out.
As a person who judges many 4-H poultry shows, I feel it's very important that the
individual showing the bird spends a lot of time with his or her birds and that it's not the
parents taking care of the fowl. For the youngest exhibitors, parents obviously need to
